KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 (KUNA) - At least18 people were killed and 24 others remain missing after a passenger ferry carrying more than 350 people sank off the country's southern coast amid rough seas and harsh weather conditions, said Philippine authorities.
Spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard Noemie Cayabyab said in a press statement that the vessel, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, went down while sailing from Zamboanga City to Jolo Island in turbulent waters.
Search and rescue teams have so far rescued 317 passengers, while the death toll has been confirmed at 18, with 24 still unaccounted for, he added.
In an official statement, the Coast Guard said the ferry issued a distress signal after encountering severe maritime disturbances, stressing that the vessel was not overloaded beyond its passenger capacity.
Authorities have launched preliminary investigations to determine the cause of the incident, noting that a comprehensive technical maritime inquiry will be conducted once rescue operations are completed.
The Philippines is among the countries most prone to maritime ferry accidents due to the heavy reliance of millions of residents on sea transport across more than 7,000 islands. Such incidents are often attributed to adverse weather conditions and inadequate safety standards on some vessels.
In 2015, a ferry sank off Leyte Island, killing more than 60 people, while the 1987 collision between the ferry Do?a Paz and an oil tanker resulted in the deaths of more than 4,000 people, marking the world's deadliest peacetime maritime disaster. (end) aab.aa