ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) concluded its 27-day underwater search of the sunken MV Trisha Kerstin 3, shifting the focus of the tragedy toward victim identification, psychosocial recovery, and a Senate-led investigation into systemic maritime failures.

To recall, the vessel capsized 26 January off Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan province. As of Wednesday, official figures place the death toll at 65, with 22 of those victims recovered by technical divers from within the wreck. Another 14 people remain missing, while 293 survivors have been accounted for.

Commodore Rejard Marfe, commander of Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao, confirmed that divers cleared all accessible sections of the vessel, including the engine room and car deck, at depths exceeding 30 meters.

The final body retrieved from the wreck on Sunday was identified as Rodolfo Cabilan Jr., the ship’s oiler.

While active diving has ended, Marfe said teams will conduct final “re-swiping” sweeps through Thursday to ensure no areas were overlooked.

Sulu Vice Governor Abdusakur M. Tan, who visited survivors in Maimbung, Sulu, on Monday, stressed that the conclusion of the search marks the beginning of a long recovery path.

Tan called for a formal probe into the sinking and a strengthening of maritime protocols to prevent future disasters in the Sulu Sea, a vital corridor for ferries connecting Zamboanga City and Jolo.

Meantime, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has begun distributing secondary aid, including P10,000 for burial expenses and P5,000 for medical and mental health support for survivors.

Meanwhile, a Senate Committee on Public Services inquiry has exposed what lawmakers call “gross negligence.” Senate chairperson Grace Poe cited that while official manifests recorded fewer passengers, the total number of victims and survivors reached 372.

Poe attributed the sinking to a faulty ballast system, loose cargo, and significant overloading.

“Owners and regulators must face full legal consequences,” Poe said, indicating that criminal referrals to the Department of Justice are expected by mid-March.

Previously, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) has grounded the fleet of Aleson Shipping Lines pending audits and suspended 14 officials for lax oversight.

While attorneys for the shipping firm attributed the sinking to unforeseen storms, the DoTr maintained that overloading likely caused the vessel to tip, exacerbating flooding on the lower deck.