HADJI MUHTAMAD, Basilan —Divers are preparing for high-risk penetration maneuvers after sonar technology located the wreckage of the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, resting 76 meters below the surface off Baluk-Baluk Island.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) announced that the mission has transitioned from search and rescue to search and retrieval. Commodore Rejard Marfe, commander of the Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao, said technical divers will now attempt to enter the vessel’s interior cabins and car deck to recover bodies believed to be trapped inside.

The breakthrough came after the local government of Hadji Muhtamad hired EGS Asia Inc., a private firm, to deploy advanced side-scan sonar.

Mayor Arsina Kahing-Nanoh said the municipality funded the private service to provide closure to grieving families after initial Coast Guard efforts using visual remotely operated vehicles were hampered by low visibility and strong currents.

“Their data gave our divers a ‘digital map’ of the seabed,” Marfe said, describing the sonar data as pivotal for the surgical retrieval operation.

To recall, the roll-on/roll-off ferry sank 26 January during a voyage from Zamboanga City to Jolo. While the vessel was authorized to carry 352 passengers, authorities now believe the initial manifest was inaccurate.

As of Tuesday, officials have confirmed 43 fatalities and 316 survivors, with approximately 40 people still missing — including the captain, eight crew members, and a safety marshal.

The total number of accounted-for individuals already exceeds the 352 people listed on the official manifest, prompting a PCG investigation into potential overcrowding.

In addition to recovering victims, divers will inspect the hull, engine room, and cargo hold to determine if mechanical failure, shifting cargo, or structural issues caused the triple-decker ferry to capsize so rapidly.

Though the hull currently appears intact, Marfe said the investigation is focusing closely on the ship’s stability and seaworthiness.