At least 18 people have died after a ferry carrying more than 350 passengers and crew members onboard sank in the waters off the Philippines' southern coast.
Search crews have rescued 317 people on board the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, but at least 24 people are still missing, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
The ship, both a cargo and passenger ferry, was on its way from the southern island of Mindanao to Jolo island when it issued a distress call at 1:50 local time Monday (17:50 GMT Sunday).
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the sinking. The Philippines, an archipelago nation of 7,100 islands, has a long history of maritime disasters involving inter-island ferries.
Based on the account of some survivors, the waters in the area were rough at the time, Philippine Coast Guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab said in a televised interview, according to an AFP report.
A video shared by the disaster management office in the southwestern Bongao Municipality showed people wearing life vests floating in the water as they awaited rescue.
Photos from rescue efforts depicted survivors wrapped in blankets disembarking from a rescue boat.
Rescuers have been overwhelmed by the influx of survivors, Basilan emergency responder Ronalyn Perez reported. The challenge really is the number of patients that are coming in. We are short-staffed at the moment, she explained.
This incident has brought attention to ongoing issues of poor maintenance and overloading in the ferry industry in the Philippines, with many still relying on ferries for their low costs despite historical risks.
Previous incidents have resulted in significant loss of life, including a fire in May 2023 that claimed 28 lives.
