The death toll from the sinking of the ferry MV Trisha Kerstin 3 soared to 51 after Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) technical divers recovered six more bodies from the underwater wreckage, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
PCG spokesperson Captain Noemie Cayabyab reported that divers retrieved five of the remains during a deep-sea operation that began at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday.
The bodies were located approximately 180 feet deep within the first-deck economy accommodation area of the sunken vessel. A sixth body had been recovered at a similar depth on Monday, Feb. 9.
The fatalities found Tuesday include two female adults, one male adult, and two children, one of whom was an infant.
The remains were transported to Zamboanga City Port to undergo identification and forensic processing by disaster and health officials.
The roll-on/roll-off ferry, operated by Aleson Shipping Lines, submerged in the early hours of Jan. 26 about 2.75 nautical miles northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan.
While 316 survivors have been accounted for since the incident, the exact number of passengers still missing remains undetermined as search operations continue.
Cayabyab noted that the recovery efforts face significant challenges, including strong underwater currents and the unstable position of the wreck, which is currently listing on its side.
“The intention of the PCG is to thoroughly search the entire vessel to determine if there are still people trapped inside,” Cayabyab said.
The maritime disaster has prompted the Department of Transportation to ground the passenger fleet of Aleson Shipping Lines pending a full investigation into the cause of the sinking.
Preliminary reports suggested the vessel encountered “serious technical problems” and was battered by strong waves before going down.