Death toll in M/V Trisha Kerstin sinking rises to 36

The total number of fatalities from the ill-fated M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 has risen to 36 following the retrieval of three more cadavers.

Based on information from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday, two bodies were retrieved from Baluk-Baluk Island and Mataja Island by a joint search and rescue team around 1:42 a.m.

At 2 p.m., another cadaver was recovered at sea.

All three bodies were transported to Zamboanga City for proper disposition.

The number of survivors remain at 316.

The Zamboanga City authorities had previously stated that some passengers who purchased tickets through scalpers and inside the ship admitted that they were not part of the ship's manifesto.

The PCG had earlier ruled out overloading from possible causes of sinking, but the number of cadavers surfacing had since surpassed the initial number of declared missing passengers.

M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 sank in the waters off Basilan on Monday, with SAR operations facing risks and delay due to shark presence in the sinking site.

The PCG has since extended their search areas to nearby, safer zones in coordination with local coastal communities and barangays in hopes of possible survivors. 

The search teams have yet to locate the vessel. —VBL, GMA Integrated News