Latest news Ferry sinks off Philippines - dozens of people missing
Dozens of people are missing at sea after a ferry sank in the Philippines.
26.01.2026, 04:39
SDA
According to the authorities, the ship M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 had 332 people on board when the accident happened last night (local time) on its way from the city of Zamboanga on the island of Mindanao to the island of Jolo.
The Philippine news agency PNA, citing the local governor, spoke of at least twelve dead and 200 rescued. The search is apparently still on for many more passengers. A mayor in the province of Basilan, near where the ferry sank, reported at least eight survivors on Facebook.
Cause of the accident still unclear
According to the report, more than 100 people are still missing. The coast guard is being deployed to locate possible survivors. The cause of the tragedy is still under investigation.
Traveling by water is part of everyday life in the Philippines. The archipelago consists of more than 7000 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 4000 people lost their lives.
