After its initial reluctance, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday, Jan. 30, finally admitted that the roll-on/roll-off M/V Trisha Kirsten 3 may have been overloaded when it sank off Basilan.

PCG spokesperson Captain Noemie Cayabyab said the basis for this assessment is the recovery of 11 bodies on Thursday, Jan. 29, near the suspected wreck site about 2.75 nautical miles northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island, which exceeded the number of missing persons declared in the initial passenger manifest submitted by the ship’s crew to the coast guard.

The manifest earlier stated that the vessel was carrying 359 individuals when it sank on Jan. 26, including 332 passengers and 27 crew members. PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan earlier said the vessel was not overloaded as he noted that the authorized passenger capacity of the ship was 352, excluding crew members.

The PCG later clarified that 15 passengers listed in the manifest did not board the vessel, reducing the count of those onboard to 344. Based on initial records, 316 were rescued, 18 died, and 10 were reported missing. The missing included eight crew members, the ship captain, and a PCG sea marshal.

However, Cayabyab said the discovery of additional bodies raised serious questions. “Based on our operations yesterday, we were able to recover 11 individuals. This means that from the initial 10 reported missing, the number increased,” she said.

“We are not discounting the possibility of overloading based on the new information we have been receiving,” Cayabyab added.

As of Jan. 30, the PCG confirmed 316 survivors and 29 fatalities. The number of missing remains undetermined due to continuing reports from families claiming their relatives were on board.

“There is a possibility that some individuals boarded who were not included in the passenger manifest. There is also a possibility that some listed in the manifest did not actually board,” Cayabyab said.

“We are validating all information with families. This is in coordination with the shipping company and is part of the ongoing investigation,” she added.

The PCG has deployed a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and 19 technical wreck divers to the area to search for the shipwreck. The ground zero of the search is about 76 meters or 249 feet deep.

“We are using the ROV to determine the depth and locate the sunken vessel. We are also considering the probability that individuals may be trapped inside. We also want to determine the real cause of the sinking,” Cayabyab said.

She said a full-blown maritime casualty investigation is underway upon the directive of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). “We will look at all angles on why this incident happened. This includes the ship owner and other agencies that may be involved,” she said.

“In case it is established during the investigation that there was negligence on the part of our personnel, administrative sanctions will definitely be imposed. Our goal is to give justice to the families of those who were lost,” she said.

The PCG also acknowledged the help of local fishermen in finding the missing. “Almost all the bodies recovered yesterday were found by local fishermen and turned over to the PCG,” Cayabyab said.

Meanwhile, the DOTr ordered the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) to issue special permits to other shipping lines to service the routes previously operated by Aleson Shipping Lines, the operator of MV Trisha Kirsten 3, after its operations were suspended following the sinking.

The routes covered include Zamboanga City to Isabela City, Siasi, Jolo, and Bongao. Routes from Pulauan to Dapitan City to Dumaguete City and Dumaguete City to Siquijor were also included.

To address the shortage of commercial vessels in the area, the PCG said it has provided free rides to passengers using the BRP Tubbataha which have been sailing from Zamboanga City to Isabela City since Jan. 29.

Priority is given to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and children. As of Jan. 30, a total of 175 passengers have availed of the free ride.

Further, Cayabyab said coast guard stations in Zamboanga, Jolo, and Basilan remain open to families seeking information on their missing relatives. However, she noted that coordination issues on matters of insurance claims involving Aleson Shipping Lines should be addressed by the company itself.

“But rest assured, the doors of all coast guard stations are open to receive information from families of the missing,” she said.