THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday said it has ordered the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to file administrative and possible criminal cases against the owners, executives, and crew of M/V Trisha Kerstin 3.
The directive follows an investigation indicating that overloading and poor seamanship were the primary causes of the vessel’s sinking off the coast of Basilan on January 26, 2026.
“One of the identified potential causes for the sinking is the possibility of overcapacity and overloading. This is because when a vessel is overloaded, there is a high likelihood of cargo shifting among the rolling cargoes on board,” Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said.
According to Lopez, other contributing factors in the sinking of M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 included poor seamanship and multiple safety violations.
Lopez added that despite safety violations during pre-departure, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) allowed the ship to voyage, and M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 was able to secure a certificate of seaworthiness from MARINA despite its safety deficiencies.
“Given these circumstances, we believe there is sufficient basis to impose sanctions not only on the vessel, but also on its owners, officials, and crew. We have ordered MARINA to file administrative cases against the shipowner, Aleson Shipping Lines,” Lopez said.
The transportation chief added that MARINA will also file administrative cases against the agency’s regional officers and the PCG personnel involved in the incident.
Lopez said criminal charges will be pursued against Aleson Shipping’s owners and other responsible individuals if evidence of gross negligence is found.
The M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 departed the Port of Zamboanga on the evening of January 25, bound for Jolo, Sulu, before submerging in Basilan waters on the morning of January 26.
While initial reports cited 18 dead and 10 missing—including the ship’s captain, eight crew members, and a PCG marshal—the scale of the tragedy has since widened. On Wednesday, the PCG confirmed that the death toll has risen to 52, while the number of survivors remains at 316.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), meanwhile, updated on Wednesday the latest official figures related to its comprehensive two-week investigation into the sinking of the vessel.
Coast Guard spokesperson Captain Noemie Cayabyab confirmed the following numbers as of February 11, based on consolidated verification with affected families, the Philippine National Police-Scene of the Crime Operatives (PNP-SOCO), and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
“The total number of survivors has been adjusted to 293, from the previously reported 316,” Cayabyab said.
“This revision reflects the verification of passenger identities, including survivors listed in the manifest, individuals who survived but were later confirmed to have not been listed, as well as declared and undeclared crew members,” she explained.
Cayabyab added that the number of confirmed fatalities has increased to 52, with the recovery of one female cadaver by the PCG Technical Diving Group at around 7:15 a.m. on February 11—roughly 16 days after the tragedy.
However, six recovered bodies remain unidentified and have not yet been removed from the list of missing persons,” the Coast Guard official noted.
Meanwhile, the PCG recorded 27 individuals currently classified as missing based on the ongoing PNP-SOCO investigation and daily coordination with affected families. This figure excludes the six recovered but unidentified bodies, which have been deducted from the missing count, according to Cayabyab.
