The death toll from the sinking of roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessel MV Trisha Kerstin 3 climbed to 51 after Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) technical divers recovered six more bodies from the wreck, a ranking official revealed on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

Five bodies were found during a deep dive that began at 6 a.m. around 180 feet inside the vessel’s first-deck economy accommodation area off Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan, said PCG spokesperson Captain Noemie Cayabyab.

Meanwhile, another cadaver was recovered at a depth of approximately 187 feet inside the accommodation area of the sunken vessel on Feb. 9.

The remains were immediately secured aboard BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702) and transferred to BRP Capones (MRRV-4404) for transport to Zamboanga City Port for identification in coordination with local disaster officials.

Cayabyab said search and dive operations continue despite strong underwater currents and the vessel’s unstable position as it was found 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,” she noted.

Technical divers recently entered the bridge and accommodation sections of the ship after an external scan of the wreck to identify safe entry points before penetration dives.

“The technical divers are being careful because of the strong underwater current. Even a small mistake could cause the vessel to move and pose risks to their safety,” she added.

As of Tuesday, the number of survivors remained at 316 while those missing have yet to be determined.

Meanwhile, the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) which helped locate and mark the vessel is currently undergoing repairs after it was damaged by strong underwater current.

MV Trisha Kerstin 3, operated by Aleson Shipping, submerged around 1:50 a.m. on Jan. 26 about 2.75 nautical miles northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan.

At present, the PCG has 19 technical divers onsite who conduct one or two dives per day, depending on the strength of the current, to search for survivors.

“We are rotating the divers so they do not become exhausted. The complexity of the situation on the vessel requires a rotation during the diving operations,” Cayabyab shared.

Meanwhile, a parallel investigation into the sinking is ongoing and Cayabyab said divers are checking claims from passengers about a possible hole in the vessel.

“Some passengers have stated that they saw a hole in the vessel. We will check whether this was a factor in the incident,” Cayabyab said.

The entire fleet of Aleson Shipping was earlier grounded by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) pending the results of the investigation.

While recovery operations continued, the Philippine Army (PA) honored six of the 39 soldiers who survived the tragedy in a ceremony held in Jolo, Sulu on Feb. 9. The other survivors would be honored in a separate ceremony after their recovery.

The 11th Infantry Division (11ID) awarded Bronze Cross Medals to the soldiers who survived the sinking and helped civilian passengers to swim and stay afloat.

“To our awardees, your bravery in the face of life and death will forever be remembered. Your actions embody the true meaning of selfless service,” Maj. Gen. Leonardo I. Peña, 11 ID commander, said.