The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday said the roll-on/roll-off vessel M/V Trisha Kirsten 3 may have been overloaded when it sank off Basilan, following an initial assessment. PCG spokesperson Captain Noemie Cayabyab said the assessment was based on the recovery of 11 bodies on Thursday 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.

Espiritu, R. (2026, January 31). Coast Guard eyes overloading in Basilan sinking. Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.