Latest news Ferry sinks off Philippines - 18 dead and 24 missing
At least 24 people are still missing at sea after a ferry sank in the Philippines. According to the coast guard, the ship M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 had 359 people on board - 332 passengers and 27 crew members. The accident occurred during the night (local time) on the way from the city of Zamboanga on the island of Mindanao to the island of Jolo.
26.01.2026, 09:17
SDA
Cause of the accident still unclear
A spokesman for the local coastguard spoke of at least 18 dead and 317 rescued. A search is still underway for two dozen missing persons. The cause of the tragedy near the province of Basilan, 900 kilometers south of the capital Manila, is currently being investigated. According to eyewitnesses, the sea was calm at the time.
Meanwhile, there were no reports of possible foreign passengers. Jolo is considered very dangerous due to the presence of Islamist terrorist groups and is not a tourist destination.
Ship operator Aleson Shipping Lines expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and asked for patience while the search operations continued.
Traveling by water is part of daily life in the Philippines. The archipelago consists of more than 7,000 islands. Accidents occur frequently due to inadequate safety standards and overcrowding.
In 2023, almost 30 people died in a fire on a passenger ferry in the south of the country. The worst ship disaster in peacetime occurred in Philippine waters in 1987, when a ferry collided with a tanker. More than 4,000 people lost their lives.
