Geline Salac

Captain, 8 crew still missing after ferry sinking; 14 passengers canceled tickets

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<p>The captain and 8 crew members of the ill-fated  MV Trisha Kerstin 3 are still missing after the passenger ferry sank just five kilometers east of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan early Monday.</p><p>Commodore Rejard Marfe, commander of the Coast Guard District of Southwestern Mindanao, said a total of 344 people were onboard the ferry before it sank, including 317 passengers. Fourteen passengers canceled their tickets while one passenger failed to board the ferry Sunday night.  </p><p>Of the 344, 316 people have been rescued, 18 have died while 10 others remain missing.</p><p>“Kapitan ng barko, kasama siya sa mga missing. Sa crew, 8 ang missing…Tuloy-tuloy ang search and rescue, nandun ‘yung 2 malalaking barko natin, BRP Capones at BRP Tubataha,” he said in a DZMM interview. </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o8xo1eFRdvI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rTbDoZMgvQA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>Marfe said the weather was relatively calm when the MV Trisha Kerstin 3 left Zamboanga at 9 p.m. Sunday, January 25, for an 8-hour voyage to Jolo Island.</p><p>Sea marshals on the vessel said a distress signal was sent out at 1:15 a.m. on January 26.</p><p>“Based sa aming inspection, hindi naman siya nakitaan na overload o excess passenger. Hindi namin pwedeng i-speculate ‘yung mga posibleng dahilan ng kanyang paglubog. ‘Yung ating priority ngayon is SAR,” he said.</p><p>Meanwhile, Department of Social Welfare and Development Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the government has provided food boxes to some of the survivors.</p><p>“Halal-certified ang mga family food boxes,” she said in a separate DZMM interview.</p><p>A total of 134 survivors will receive medical assistance worth P5,000. “For 2 bereaved families, nakapag-provide tayo ng P10,000 each as burial assistance,” Dumlao said. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LoLptnF04IY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The captain and 8 crew members of the ill-fated MV Trisha Kerstin 3 are still missing after the passenger ferry sank just five kilometers east of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan early Monday.</p>

The captain and 8 crew members of the ill-fated MV Trisha Kerstin 3 are still missing after the passenger ferry sank just five kilometers east of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan early Monday.