A ferry carrying more than 350 people sank in the southern Philippines while en route from Zamboanga City to Jolo Island in Sulu province. The vessel had 359 people on board, including 332 registered passengers and 27 crew members.
Rescue operations led by the Philippine Coast Guard, the navy, and local fishing boats have so far saved at least 215 people. Authorities have also recovered seven bodies, while more than 100 passengers remain missing as of today.
Maritime accidents are frequent in the Philippine archipelago due to rough weather conditions, poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding, and weak enforcement of safety regulations, particularly in remote areas. One of the deadliest such incidents occurred in December 1987, when the ferry Doña Paz collided with a fuel tanker in the central Philippines, killing more than 4,300 people in what is considered the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster.
