M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 search ops temporarily suspended due to bad weather

Search and rescue operations for the ill-fated M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 has been temporarily suspended due to the effects of Tropical Depression Basyang.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview on Friday, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Spokesperson Captain Noemie Cayabyab said the undersea currents in the waters off Basilan were too strong for the technical divers.

“Once na weather permitting and gumanda po ang weather and sea condition, we will continue… Hoping [na] bukas po yan, para ma-continue natin ang search and rescue efforts dito sa Basilan,” she said.

(Once weather permitting and sea condition is better, we will continue… Hoping [that] it will be tomorrow, so we can continue our search and rescue efforts here in Basilan.)

“Sisiguraduhin po muna natin na maganda ang panahon before we continue the diving operations because we will be risking the lives of our technical divers as well,” she added.

(We will first ensure that the weather is good before we continue the diving operations because we will be risking the lives of our technical divers as well.)

She shared that once divers return, they intend to prioritize checking within the vessel’s cabins to confirm whether cadavers were trapped inside.

On their most recent dive, she said they were able to retrieve two cadavers that had been stuck on the vessel’s railings.

The PCG had entered the sunken vessel on Thursday after it had been found approximately 1.8 nautical miles off Baluk-Baluk Island.

Cayabyab said the vessel was whole when it was found, but they have yet to confirm whether it had any holes or other issues that caused the sinking.

They are currently conducting investigations on what could have caused the sinking, but are also prioritizing looking for other cadavers.

“After the first time [we entered the vessel], halos lumakas yung current at nada-drag na po yung ating mga divers dahil sa lakas ng current sa ilalim, but definitely we will check kung meron bang problema na nag-cause ng paglubog na ito. Part po [ang paglutang] ng ating coordination later on, but definitely ang itong intention ay i-check kung meron pa po bang na-trap sa ilalim and then we'll check ang susunod na hakbang po natin,” she said.

(After the first time [we entered the vessel], the current became stronger and our drivers were getting dragged by the strong currents underwater, but definitely we will check if there were any problems that caused the sinking. [Retrieving it] is also part of our coordination later on, but definitely our intention right now is to check whether there are any others trapped at the bottom and then we’ll check what our next steps would be.)

M/V Trisha Kerstin 3’s fatality count was pegged at 45, while survivors remain at 316 passengers as of February 4. — BAP, GMA Integrated News