Death Toll in Philippine Ferry Sinking Rises to 29

Questions have been raised about the accuracy of the passenger manifest

Technical divers with the Philippine Coast Guard are continuing the difficult and dangerous work of inspecting the wreck of the ferry Trisha Kerstin 3, which went down off Zamboanga on January 26. On Thursday, 11 additional bodies were recovered, bringing the total number of casualties to 29. The PCG said that local residents, family members and fishermen aided the effort.

The deceased have been brought ashore in Basilan for identification. For now, the PCG says that the operation is still in the search and rescue phase, and there is still hope of finding survivors.

The discovery of more bodies has raised questions about the actual number of personnel on board, as the list of survivors and deceased passengers now exceeds the size of the official ship's manifest. The uncertainty creates questions about the "increasing" number of people who either died or went missing in the sinking, and about when the search for victims can be considered completed. Relatives of the missing say that there are still many people who have yet to be found.

Trisha Kerstin 3's operator has a history of casualties, and it lost two previous ships on similar routes, one to fire and another to capsizing. After the most recent incident, the PCG has ordered operator Aleson's fleet tied up at the pier for inspection for at least 10 days, and has opened its licensed routes to other carriers on a temporary basis. To ensure continuity of service for passengers, the PCG has volunteered to transport civilians on its own vessels if required, at no charge. However, local reports indicate that travel connections in the region are limited, and that demand exceeds supply.

The PCG is investigating the cause of the capsizing and sinking of Trisha Kerstin 3. One possibility is that the high superstructure of the ferry was hit by a sudden wind squall, a spokesperson told local media. The idea is still under examination, and a weather forecaster told ABS CBN that he did not see any definitive evidence of a squall at that time. Recorded wave heights in the area were modest, about three feet.

In the wake of the tragedy, national maritime safety regulator MARINA also plans to carry out a comprehensive safety audit of all Philippine shipping lines, and will classify ships based on suspected risk levels for future inspection.