Bodies of 3 more passengers of ill-fated ferry found in Basilan

Apr 5, 2023 6:24 PM PHT

Richard Falcatan

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Bodies of 3 more passengers of ill-fated ferry found in Basilan

FOUND. Coast Guard personnel carry the wrapped body of a passenger of MV Lady Mary Joy 3 in Basilan on Tuesday, April 4.

Philippine Coast Guard

The retrieval of the bodies brings to 31 the number of passengers who died in the March 29 ferry fire off Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan

BASILAN, Philippines – The Coast Guard found the bodies of three more passengers of the ill-fated MV Lady Mary Joy 3 on two separate occasions since Tuesday.

The retrieval of the bodies brought to 31 the number of passengers who died in the March 29 ferry fire.

Authorities identified the passengers as Anacleto Ponollero Jr., Jack Bungso, and Army Staff Sergeant Audro Cerbatos.

The body of Ponollero, who was from Santa Catalina in Zamboanga City, was found in the waters off Sicagot Island, South Gaunan on Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday, April 5, the Coast Guard found the bodies of Staff Sergeant Cerbatos and Bungso floating near Baluk-Baluk Island in Hajji Mutammad town, the same area where MV Lady Mary Joy 3 caught fire at sea last week.

Coast Guard-Isabela City commander Arturo Alamani Jr. said they stepped up the inspection of vessels in the province to ensure public safety as an offshoot of the tragedy. – Rappler.com