A ferry with more than 350 people on board has sunk in the southern Philippines, with rescuers so far managing to pull out at least 316 passengers alive and recovering 15 bodies, officials said today, quoted by the Associated Press.
The “Trisha Kerstin 3”, a passenger and cargo ferry, was sailing from the port city of Zamboanga to the southern island of Jolo in Sulu province with 332 passengers and 27 crew members on board when, according to coast guard officials, it apparently suffered a technical failure and sank.
The ferry sank in good weather about 2 kilometers from the coast. Coast Guard and navy ships, a surveillance plane, a helicopter and fishing boats were involved in the rescue operation, the coast guard said.
Coast Guard Commander Rommel Dua told The Associated Press that the ship was inspected before leaving port and there were no signs of overloading.
Maritime accidents are relatively common in the Philippines due to frequent storms, poorly maintained ships, overloading and poor compliance, the agency recalled. In December 1987, the ferry "Doña Paz" sank after colliding with a tanker in the Philippines. The tragedy killed more than 4,300 people, making it the worst peacetime maritime accident in history.