A ferry carrying more than 350 people has capsized off the southern Philippine province of Basilan, killing at least 15 people.
According to Al Jazeera, the officials said that the accident occurred after midnight on Monday as the passenger vessel, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was en route to Jolo Island in southern Sulu after departing the port city of Zamboanga.
As per the Philippine coastguard, the vessel, which had 332 passengers on record and 27 crew, issued a distress signal at 1:50am on Monday (17:50 GMT Sunday), about four hours after it departed Zamboanga City.
The ferry sank in good weather about 1 nautical mile (nearly 2km) from the island village of Baluk-baluk in Basilan province, where many of the survivors were initially taken, the coastguard said.
Coastguard Commander Romel Dua of Southern Mindanao District told the AFP news agency that at least 316 people had been rescued so far, with 15 confirmed dead and 28 still unaccounted for.
“A coast guard aircraft is also on the way to help the operation. The Navy and Air Force also sent their assets,” Dua told AFP.
Emergency responders in Basilan said those who were rescued and needed medical attention were brought to a hospital in the capital city of Isabela.
