The Philippine Coast Guard has confirmed the possible location of the sunken Ro-Pax ferry Trisha Kerstin 3 during dive operations in the waters off Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan province.
The ferry was found lying in an east-to-west orientation relative to Baluk-Baluk on Tuesday, February 3. The vessel was approximately 2.75 nautical miles off the island when she sank shortly after 00:00 local time on January 26.
Coast guard divers also found another three bodies in those same waters. The remains have been identified as those of three victims who were also on the ill-fated vessel at the time of the incident.
The recovery of the additional victims has raised the incident's confirmed death toll to 45 while the total survivor count of 316 remains unchanged.
Aleson Shipping Lines, the operator of Trisha Kerstin 3, has been ordered by the country's transportation department to suspend all its passenger vessel sailings while an investigation into the incident is being conducted.
A number of local lawmakers has begun lobbying for the company's vessels to be prohibited from operating in five provinces including Basilan.
