Rescue efforts under way after Philippine ferry sinks, leaving 18 dead

316 passengers have been rescued, but 10 remain missing

FILE PHOTO: Philippine Coast Guard personnel assist survivors who were aboard the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, which capsized around the waters of Baluk-baluk Island, Basilan, Philippines, Jan 26, 2026. Philippine Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS

Search and rescue operations continued on Tuesday for 10 people still missing after a passenger boat capsized off a southern Philippine province, with the death toll rising slightly to 18, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

Captain Noemie Cayabyab, a spokesperson at the PCG, said the total number of people on board had been revised to 344, down from the earlier figure of 359, after verifying that 15 people listed on the manifest did not board the vessel.

The number of rescued passengers remained at 316, Cayabyab told reporters.

The accident occurred at 1:50am (1750 GMT) on Monday while the passenger vessel, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was en route to Jolo in Sulu province after departing from Zamboanga. The PCG said the vessel has an authorised passenger capacity of 352.

The PCG said it was not yet prepared to conclude why the ferry sank, with the investigation still ongoing.

Sea accidents are common in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands with a patchy maritime safety record.