Ferry disaster: Ship swap, safety lapses probed

Authorities are intensifying their investigation into the MV Trisha Kerstin 3 ferry disaster, focusing on safety violations, vessel replacement and regulatory compliance, amid reports that the sunken ship may not have been the originally scheduled vessel for the voyage on 29 January. 

Early survivor accounts point to potential overloading, inaccessible life vests, and missing names on the passenger manifest, raising serious safety concerns.

Director Luisito delos Santos, spokesperson for the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), said the initial probe — based on interviews with survivors — suggests that the ferry that sank northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan was a replacement vessel, not the one originally assigned. 

Survivors reported that some passengers lacked life vests, and others’ names were missing from the official manifest, raising questions about compliance with maritime safety regulations.

“From the accounts we gathered, it appears that the vessel assigned to carry our passengers that day was not the one they boarded,” Delos Santos said in a radio interview on Sunday. “We are seeing serious violations. Life vests, our primary safety measure, were allegedly locked away. There was no storm, yet the ship sank. It’s tragic.”

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) earlier reported that the RoRo-passenger vessel carried 332 passengers and 27 crew, within its authorized maximum capacity of 352. 

Delos Santos said it is still too early to confirm overloading, but investigators are examining whether the passenger manifest and safety equipment complied with legal standards. 

Search, retrieval 

operations continue 

On Sunday, the PCG recovered three more bodies, bringing the official death toll to 39, while survivor count remains 316. The Basilan-PDRRMO lists 40 fatalities. 

The joint search team, composed of government agencies, local government units, and volunteer fisherfolk, recovered two bodies from Baluk-Baluk Island and one from Lantawan Island, which are being transported to Zamboanga City for identification and proper disposition. Authorities are also evaluating crew training, emergency preparedness, and operational procedures to determine whether lapses contributed to the tragedy.

The investigation is focused on Aleson Shipping Lines, the vessel operator, to determine if the ship swap was properly disclosed and if standard safety protocols were followed. “Safety violations appear evident. The ship’s authorized passenger capacity will be checked, but there are reports suggesting the vessel was swapped for another,” Delos Santos said. “We remind all vessel operators: Strict compliance with safety rules is non-negotiable. No lapse should endanger lives.”

LGUs lending support

Local authorities are actively supporting the probe. 

Basilan Mayor Arsina Kahing-Nanoh, who has been coordinating local search and retrieval operations, said local fishermen and Bantay Dagat volunteers have been instrumental in gathering survivor testimonies and assisting investigators. 

“Our local volunteers know these waters best and are helping authorities piece together what happened,” she said.

Sulu Vice Governor Abdusakur M. Tan, also known as “Boss Papang,” has been leading provincial coordination with national agencies to verify passenger lists, track missing individuals, and provide survivors with emergency aid. 

Tan emphasized the need to clarify whether life vests were accessible, if the vessel’s capacity was exceeded, and why the ship may have been replaced without proper notice to passengers.

He said that the rise in fatalities is partly due to decomposed remains washing ashore. 

At least 10–11 passengers, including Judge Alberto Romoros, remain missing. 

“Every life lost is a blow to our community,” he said. “We’ve identified 49 suspected missing passengers from Sulu through their families, and our priority is finding the rest before more bodies drift away.” 

Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman also shared records of recovered bodies over the past week: on 26 January, 26 bodies were retrieved by fishermen 6.6 nautical miles north of Baluk-Baluk Island, followed by four bodies on Thursday, three on Friday, four on Saturday, and three on Sunday morning.

Marina, PCG review documentation

The Marina and PCG are also reviewing documentation, including ship registration papers, vessel inspection records, and prior safety audits. 

Investigators are looking at whether crew members were properly trained, if emergency drills were conducted, and how communication was handled during the voyage. 

Preliminary findings suggest that serious lapses in operational and safety procedures may have contributed to the sinking, underscoring the need for stricter oversight of passenger vessels.

Authorities continue to examine all angles — including passenger safety, vessel assignment, life-saving equipment, crew preparedness, and regulatory compliance — to determine the full circumstances behind the incident and prevent similar tragedies in the future.