DOTr Grounds Aleson Fleet After Basilan Sinking, Cites 32 Maritime Incidents Since 2019

DAVAO CITY (January 28) — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has ordered the immediate grounding of the entire passenger fleet of Zamboanga City–based Aleson Shipping Lines following the deadly sinking of M/V Trisha Kirstin 3 off Baluk-Baluk Island, Basilan, an incident that has once again thrust the company’s troubled safety record into the national spotlight.

Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez announced the sweeping suspension on Tuesday, January 27, after reviewing records showing that Aleson had been linked to at least 32 maritime incidents since 2019, including fatal accidents involving passenger vessels.

The January 26 sinking has so far claimed 18 lives, including a child, while 10 others—mostly crew members—remain missing, authorities said. Search and rescue operations continued Wednesday as families of the victims gathered at ports and evacuation centers in Basilan and Zamboanga City, many demanding answers and accountability after years of repeated maritime disasters involving the same operator.

History of deadly incidents

The sinking of Trisha Kirstin 3 is not an isolated case.

In March 2023, more than 30 passengers were killed when M/V Lady Mary Joy 3, another Aleson vessel, caught fire in waters off Basilan, forcing hundreds to jump into the sea. That tragedy prompted temporary suspensions, safety inspections, and promises of reform—but operations eventually resumed.

Lopez said the DOTr’s internal review revealed that since 2019, Aleson vessels had been involved in dozens of incidents ranging from engine failures and groundings to fires and sinkings, raising serious questions about regulatory oversight and enforcement.

“So I’m asking MARINA: What did we do for the last how many years? Where are the reports? What were our shortcomings?” Lopez said during a news conference streamed live on Facebook, signaling a broader reckoning that extends beyond the shipowner.

Grounding, audits, and accountability

In response to the Basilan sinking, Lopez directed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to conduct a 15-day formal investigation into the incident.

He also ordered the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the PCG to complete a 10-day maritime safety audit of Aleson Shipping and its crew, while mandating a nationwide audit of the entire domestic passenger fleet.

Lopez said the investigation would proceed under direct orders from Malacañang, stressing that accountability would extend not only to shipowners but also to government officials if negligence or regulatory lapses are established.

“When it comes to maritime safety, that is not negotiable. That is not optional. Business considerations are just secondary,” Lopez said.
“If we exact accountability from shipowners, we are going to exact higher accountability from people in government.”

Focus on vessel stability and cargo lashing

Authorities earlier clarified that Trisha Kirstin 3 was not overloaded in terms of passenger capacity. Records showed 317 passengers and 27 crew members were on board, below the vessel’s maximum capacity of 352.

Investigators are now examining whether improper lashing of vehicles contributed to the sinking.

In a video interview posted by GMA News, former ship captain Khymer Adan Olaso said initial findings point to the possible failure of vehicle restraints, which may have allowed cargo to shift amid rough seas, causing the vessel to list and eventually capsize. Olaso is the son-in-law of the owner of Aleson Shipping, a relationship that has fueled renewed calls for heightened transparency in the investigation.

Families wait as divers move in

As divers and investigators work at sea, families of the victims continue to wait—some mourning confirmed deaths, others clinging to hope as loved ones remain unaccounted for.

PCG Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan said an initial team of six technical divers was deployed to Basilan on Wednesday, January 28, with 10 more divers set to follow to support underwater search, retrieval, and forensic assessment of the wreck.

For Lopez, the Basilan sinking represents more than a single maritime accident—it is a test of whether the government can finally break a cycle of disaster, investigation, suspension, and resumption that has long plagued the country’s domestic shipping industry.

As grieving families demand justice, the coming weeks will determine whether the grounding of Aleson’s fleet marks a turning point in maritime safety enforcement—or becomes yet another chapter in a pattern the public has seen too many times before.