Philippines Ferry Disaster Death Toll Hits Forty
Recovery teams retrieved three additional bodies from the wreckage, while authorities also added one previously uncounted victim—a six-month-old infant who had been inadvertently excluded from initial casualty figures—to the official death toll, according to Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao.
Search and rescue operations remain active nearly one week after the passenger vessel went down in waters positioned northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island. The ferry was traveling from Zamboanga City toward Jolo town in Sulu province when it sank, triggering one of the region's deadliest maritime incidents in recent memory.
Rescue crews successfully pulled at least 316 individuals from the water, the PCG reported, though officials emphasized they are still working to establish the precise number of passengers who were aboard the ill-fated vessel when catastrophe struck.
The uncertainty surrounding total passenger numbers has complicated rescue accounting and raised questions about manifest accuracy and regulatory compliance.
The Maritime Industry Authority disclosed during a radio interview that investigators will examine survivor testimonies alleging inadequate life vest availability and potential irregularities in the vessel's passenger manifest documentation.
These survivor accounts suggest possible safety violations that may have exacerbated casualties during the maritime emergency. Authorities have not yet released findings regarding what caused the ferry to sink or whether overcrowding played a contributing role.
The tragedy underscores ongoing maritime safety challenges across the Philippine archipelago, where ferry transport remains essential for inter-island travel.
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