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Jean Mangaluz - Philstar.com
February 4, 2026 | 2:15pm
Authorities recover bodies from the sunken MV Trisha Kerstin 3 on February 4, 2026.
Philippine Coast Guard / Release
MANILA, Philippines — The death toll from the sinking of MV Trisha Kerstin 3 rose to 45 after two more bodies were recovered by authorities, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday, February 4.
The PCG earlier confirmed that authorities had pinpointed the exact location of the sunken vessel, which was found by divers in the vicinity waters off Baluk-Baluk Island, Basilan.
In a statement on Wednesday, the PCG said that two more bodies were recovered during search and rescue operations.
This brought the death toll from 43 to 45.
The PCG said that there are still 316 survivors in total.
The sinking of MV Trisha Kerstin 3 prompted authorities to suspend the operations of its parent company, Aleson Shipping Lines, with a full-blown investigation underway.
MV Trisha Kerstin 3 is not the first of the company’s vessels to be involved in an accident, with Aleson linked to at least 31 other maritime incidents.
The Maritime Industry Authority has also intensified maritime safety audits and inspections in light of the incident.
