PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed on Tuesday that its divers have located what may be the resting place of the M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 during underwater operations off Baluk‑Baluk Island in the municipality of Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan.
This discovery is expected to help guide ongoing recovery and investigation efforts.
PCG Technical Diving Group Supervisor Commander Cheska Jamorol said the vessel appears to be lying in an east‑to‑west orientation relative to the island.
A joint search and rescue (SAR) team composed of PCG personnel, local government rescuers, and volunteer fisherfolk recovered one body on Tuesday, raising the confirmed death toll from the tragedy to 43, while the number of survivors remains at 316.
The M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, a roll‑on/roll‑off (RORO) passenger and cargo ferry operated by Aleson Shipping Lines, sank in the early hours of January 26, 2026, off the waters near Baluk‑Baluk Island, Basilan, in the southern Philippines.
The vessel was on a voyage from Zamboanga City to Jolo, Sulu, when it suddenly went down around 1:50 a.m., shortly after departing the port at about 9:20 p.m. the night before.
At the time of the incident, the ferry was carrying 332 passengers and 27 crew members. Authorities said the ship was operating within its authorized capacity and was not reported to be overloaded when it left Zamboanga City, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
Rescue teams quickly responded, pulling hundreds of people from the water. By mid‑operation reports, at least 316 individuals were rescued, though dozens remained missing in the days that followed as bodies were recovered and search efforts continued.
The cause of the sinking remained under investigation, with authorities probing weather conditions, vessel stability, and the possibility of mechanical or operational issues.
Early reports noted there was no gale warning or severe storm signal in the area at the time, though conditions in the Sulu Sea can change rapidly.
The disaster is one of the more serious maritime accidents in the Philippines in recent years, a country that relies heavily on ferry transport between its thousands of islands.
Following the incident, the Department of Transportation ordered the grounding of the entire passenger fleet of Aleson Shipping Lines pending safety audits, and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) announced intensified inspections and compliance checks for other vessels operating in the region.