Basilan: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday confirmed the location of the sunken M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 during the dive operations in the waters off Baluk-Baluk Island, Basilan.
According to Philippines News Agency, PCG Technical Diving Group supervisor Commander Cheska Jamorol stated in a Facebook post that the vessel is lying in an east-to-west orientation relative to Baluk-Baluk Island. The joint search and rescue team, which includes government agencies, local government units, and fisherfolk volunteers, also recovered one cadaver for identification and proper disposition.
'With this development, the fatality count has increased to 43, while the number of survivors remains at 316,' the PCG reported. The passenger ferry sank off the coast of Basilan at around 1 a.m. on Jan. 26. Following the incident, the ferry's owner, Aleson Shipping Lines, was eventually grounded.
