Death toll rises to 62 in Philippines ferry tragedy PHOTO

Divers recovered four more bodies from the sunken MV Trisha Kerstin 3 near Baluk-Baluk Island, the Philippines, on February 17, bringing the death toll to 62, according to the country's coast guard.

Philippines Coast Guard (PCG) Captain Noemie Cayabyab confirmed that 17 people remain missing as search and rescue operations continue, Caliber.Az reports.

A total of 293 passengers were rescued. The agency noted that updates are coordinated daily with interagency rescue teams and the victims’ families.

The ferry sank on January 26, approximately 2.75 nautical miles northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island, after departing from Zamboanga port. Following the incident, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) suspended operations of the shipping companies’ fleets and ordered an investigation.

Preliminary reports indicate the vessel may have been overloaded. Several shipping company officials, along with personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) in Zamboanga, have been charged in connection with the sinking.

By Jeyhun Aghazada