ZAMBOANGA CITY, September 12 — The fire that swept through the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 in the waters off Basilan stands as the deadliest ferry fire in the Philippines since the MV Doña Paz disaster in 1987, and its cost is now measured in the dozens of lives lost among passengers who were traveling for the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
The Philippine Coast Guard has confirmed the death toll from the disaster, which struck late on the evening of March 29, 2023, as the ferry sailed near Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan, close to the city of Isabela. The vessel was en route from Zamboanga City to Jolo, the capital of Sulu province, when the blaze broke out in its air-conditioned cabin section.
What happened aboard the ferry
The MV Lady Mary Joy 3 was carrying more than 200 passengers and crew, according to the Coast Guard, which put the figure at 205 while noting the exact number may still be revised. Officials said the ferry had a capacity of 430 passengers and was not overcrowded. Many of the dead drowned or were recovered from the water after jumping overboard to escape the flames.
Others were trapped inside the burning ferry. Survivors described chaotic scenes as passengers leapt into the sea in the dark.
The Coast Guard has said the crew did not immediately sound an alarm, a failure that may have contributed to the high death toll. The fire started at around 10:30 p.m. local time, and the ferry was subsequently towed to shore. Investigators have not yet determined the cause, though the Coast Guard has said it could have been electrical or caused by fuel.
Recovery, relief and accountability
First responders from the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police, and local government units in Basilan and Zamboanga City carried out the search and recovery operation. Survivors were taken to Zamboanga City and Basilan for treatment. The search for missing persons continued, with authorities reporting that the number of missing fell as more bodies were recovered, and the Coast Guard pledged to keep searching until all were accounted for.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered condolences and ordered agencies to provide assistance to victims and their families. The government declared a state of calamity in Basilan and Zamboanga City to speed the release of funds for relief and recovery, and pledged help to the families of those lost.
The Coast Guard has said it will file charges against anyone found negligent and will hold accountable those found responsible. It has also committed to inspecting all ferries operated by Aleson Shipping Lines, the owner of the MV Lady Mary Joy 3, along with vessels run by other companies, to verify compliance with safety regulations. Aleson Shipping Lines has not publicly commented on the cause of the fire.
The disaster renewed calls for stricter enforcement of maritime safety rules in a country of more than 7,000 islands, where ferry accidents have long been attributed to overcrowding, poor maintenance, and lax safety enforcement. The government has ordered a review of maritime safety protocols.
The Coast Guard said it will release the results of its investigation once complete. For families across the southern Philippines and the wider region who depend on the sea to move between islands, the questions that remain are practical ones. What the investigation finds, whether the promised inspections change how ferries are run, and whether the charges the Coast Guard has said it will file ever reach a courtroom will decide whether this disaster is remembered as a turning point or as another entry on a long list.
