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Basilan ferry capsizing survivors recalled a night of terror after a passenger vessel overturned off southern Philippine waters, killing at least 18 people and raising serious concerns over maritime safety, emergency response, and possible crew negligence.

Survivor Aquino Sajili, a 53-year-old lawyer from Zamboanga City, recounted the harrowing moments before the MV Trisha Kerstin 3 overturned near Basilar province, saying passengers instinctively rushed to one side of the ship in a desperate attempt to keep it afloat.

Speaking in an interview after returning home, Sajili said he sensed the vessel was doomed and even managed to call a lawyer friend to ask him to alert the Philippine Coast Guard as the situation rapidly worsened.

“Ten minutes later, I heard a sudden, loud snap,” Sajili recalled. “Then the ship immediately capsized.”

Chaos quickly erupted on board as passengers scrambled to escape. Sajili said women and children were screaming and crying as the ferry rolled over, trapping some beneath its massive structure.

“There were many children present,” he said. “Many of the casualties were elderly women. The ship was so big that when you are covered by it, you need strength to push yourself above the water.”

Among those who did not survive was a client Sajili had been traveling with to attend a sharia court hearing, adding a deeply personal loss to the tragedy.

No Warning from the Crew

Sajili said he had been asleep when the ferry began to tilt dangerously and was only awakened by another passenger who distributed life jackets.

“No one from the crew alerted us,” he said. “It was the passengers who were helping other passengers—telling them to stay calm and not to jump ship.”

As the ferry overturned, Sajili clung to a small portion of the vessel that remained above water before eventually letting go and swimming toward a nearby life raft. The raft, however, flipped over as desperate survivors attempted to climb aboard.

“In the end, we held on to the upside-down life raft,” he said. “We were floating at sea for more than three hours.”

Long Wait for Rescue

Rescue boats reportedly began arriving around 3:30 a.m., but survivors in the water endured hours of uncertainty as they waited to be picked up. Fishing boats and vessels sent by the ferry’s operator, Aleson Shipping Lines, eventually assisted in the rescue.

“We were just floating, comforting each other, encouraging one another not to panic,” Sajili said.

He criticized what he described as an unacceptably slow response from authorities, noting that the ferry sank just five kilometers east of Balk-Baluk Island in Basilan.

“We were near Basilar, but it took them more than three hours to respond,” he said.

Sajili also disputed early claims that rough sea conditions caused the sinking, saying the waves only became stronger long after the ferry had already capsized.

Possible Legal Action

After speaking with fellow survivors, Sajili said there is a strong possibility that a lawsuit will be filed against the ferry operator, citing what he believes was negligence by the ship’s crew.

“I think we can gather enough evidence to prove that the crew members were really careless,” he said.

Aleson Shipping Lines, which also operated the Lady Mary Joy 3—a ferry involved in a deadly fire that killed 31 people in 2023—did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Despite the trauma, Sajili expressed gratitude for surviving the ordeal and hoped the tragedy would serve as a wake-up call for shipping companies.

“i am just thankful that many survived,” he said. “But I hope this also serves as a lesson to shipping lines to fulfill their obligations under the law.”

As authorities continue to investigate the incident, the ferry disaster has once again highlighted concerns over maritime safety, emergency preparedness, and accountability in one of the country’s busiest sea routes.