At least 15 people have died after the M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 ferry sank early Monday near Basilan island, southern Philippines. The ferry carried 332 passengers and 27 crew members when it sank near Baluk-baluk village. Coast guard commander Romel Dua said, "There was a coast guard safety officer on board and he was the first to call and alert us to deploy rescue vessels." The officer survived. The ferry was heading from Zamboanga to Jolo island in Sulu province. Rescue operations involve coast guard, navy ships, a surveillance plane, a Black Hawk helicopter, and fishing boats. Mujiv Hataman, Basilan provincial governor, reported, "I’m receiving 37 people here in the pier. Unfortunately two are dead." So far, 316 passengers have been rescued and at least 15 bodies recovered. The cause of the sinking is unknown, but the vessel was cleared by coast guard before departure and was not overloaded, according to Dua. Sea accidents are common in the Philippine islands due to storms, poor vessel maintenance, overcrowding, and weak safety enforcement. The tragedy recalls the 1987 Dona Paz disaster, where over 4,300 died in a ferry collision.