Sunken M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 diving ops to start Wednesday —PCG

The diving operations for the remaining missing persons from the sunken M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 in Basilan waters are set to start on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Tuesday.

“Ngayong araw na ito darating yung anim na technical divers from Manila with their equipment. At dahil lumipad sila, makakapag-start sila ng technical diving bukas,” PCG chief Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said at a press conference.

(Today, six technical divers from Manila will arrive with their equipment. They will be able to start technical diving tomorrow.)

“Ngunit nag-prepare tayo ng 16 divers, technical wreck divers. Yung susunod ay bukas po sila darating,” he added.

(But we have prepared 16 technical wreck divers. The next batch will arrive tomorrow.)

According to Gavan, a remote operated vehicle (ROV) will also be deployed to help the operations. 

Departed from Port of Zamboanga City on Sunday, M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 was en route to Jolo, Sulu when it submerged in Basilan waters on Monday. 

A total of 18 people were confirmed dead and 10 others remain missing, according to the Department of Transportation as of Monday evening.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) earlier said the entire fleet of Aleson Shipping Lines has been grounded.

“Ngayon i-announce din namin, now we are grounding the entire passenger fleet of Aleson Shipping Lines,” DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez said at a press conference.

(Now we are announcing, now we are grounding the entire passenger fleet of Aleson Shipping Lines.

“And I'm asking MARINA to conduct maritime safety audit together with Philippine Coast Guard kasama ng inspection hindi lang po ng kanilang barko, kasama na rin po ng kanilang mga crew,” he added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News