The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on Friday, Jan. 30, that the roll-on/roll-off vessel M/V Trisha Kirsten 3 may have been overloaded when it sank off Basilan. PCG spokesperson Captain Noemie Cayabyab explained that this assessment was based on the recovery of 11 bodies on Thursday, Jan. 29, near the suspected wreck site about 2.75 nautical miles northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island. The number of recovered fatalities exceeded the missing persons listed in the initial passenger manifest submitted by the ship’s crew, raising concerns about possible discrepancies and overloading.

Sadongdong, M. (2026, January 31). PCG probes possible overloading in Basilan ship sinking. Tempo, p. 3.