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Philstar.com
January 28, 2026 | 8:43am
This screen grab from video footage taken and received on January 26, 2026 from Governor Mujiv Hataman shows rescuers assisting survivors of the sunken MV Trisha Kerstin 3 at a port in Isabela, Basilan province.
Gov. Mujiv Hataman via AFP
MANILA, Philippines — As authorities grounded the passenger fleet of a shipping company following a deadly ferry sinking off Mindanao, a survivor recounted moments of panic aboard the vessel and questioned how the crew responded as it began to capsize.
The MV Trisha Kerstin 3 was carrying 344 passengers and crew when it sank early Monday near Basilan province.
Survivor Aquino Sajili said passengers were caught off guard as the triple-decker ferry began tilting in the middle of the night. It was a fellow passenger who first raised the alarm.
“He alerted us and gave us life jackets. No one from the crew alerted us,” said Sajili, a 53-year-old lawyer from Zamboanga City, in an interview with Agence France-Presse.
“It was the passengers who were helping other passengers to stay calm and telling them not to jump ship,” he added.
As the ship listed, passengers rushed to one side in an attempt to rebalance it.
“Ten minutes later, I heard a sudden, loud snap,” Sajili said. “Then the ship immediately capsized.”
He said panic spread quickly among passengers, many of whom were women and children.
Sajili said a client traveling with him to a sharia court hearing was among those killed.
After the ship went down, survivors clung to debris and an overturned life raft while waiting for rescue.
“We’re near Basilan, but it took them more than three hours to respond to us,” Sajili said, calling the delay “unacceptable.”
He also disputed reports of rough seas, saying waves intensified only after survivors had already been in the water for hours.
After speaking with other survivors, Sajili said a lawsuit against the shipping company was likely.
“I think we can gather enough evidence to prove that the crew members of the ship were really negligent,” he said.
Government grounds Aleson
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said Tuesday that the government had ordered the grounding of Aleson Shipping Lines’ passenger fleet pending an investigation.
“As of now, the entire passenger fleet of Aleson Shipping Company (is) grounded,” Lopez said.
He said maritime authorities and the coast guard would conduct a 10-day safety audit of the company’s vessels.
“The president has ordered a full-blown investigation, so all the angles will be looked at to determine what really happened,” Lopez said.
“If it turns out the shipowners were deficient, they will expect the full force of the law,” he added.
Lopez also said there had been 32 recorded safety incidents involving the company, though he did not provide details.
The sinking occurred on nearly the same route where 31 people died in 2023 after a fire aboard the Lady Mary Joy 3, also owned by Aleson Shipping Lines. The company did not respond to calls for comment, AFP reported. — Based on reports from Agence France Presse
