The remains of Kyle Punsalang, 22 and one of the crew of the sunken MV Trisha Kerstin 3, have returned to Davao City. Amidst their grief, the family is keeping his memory alive as the body is prepared at St. Peter Funeral Homes in Toril District. The display includes his motorcycle, necklace with an anchor pendant, and his sailor hat, a symbol of his being a heroic cadet.
His wristwatch was the key to identifying him, as he was wearing it when the tragedy occurred. Amazingly, it was still working even after 20 days at sea. Kyle was found by the Philippine Coast Guard on Deck B Economy of the said ship, wearing his blue coveralls and wristwatch.
Kyle's story went viral on social media, after he called his family and asked for help as the MV Trisha Kerstin 3 slowly sank near Basilan on January 26. Many survivors attested to Kyle's help despite the danger. According to Joshua Abulag, one of the survivors, “He was able to give me and the elderly a life jacket.”
However, 14 are still missing, according to the Philippine Coast Guard, and the confirmed death toll has reached 65 as of February 22. The families of the missing continue to hold out hope and are asking that the search operations not be stopped. According to Tiffany Kaithe Lim, partner of the missing crew member, “Every day is filled with pain and uncertainty, but we hope that justice will be served and everyone will be found.”
As the tragedy approaches a month later, the family continues to demand justice. According to the Senate, the accident was likely caused by overloading of the ship and other safety violations before it set sail. It also noted that the ship was 31 years old, beyond the retirement age. All of the operator's ships were grounded, but the Senate is urging criminal charges against negligent regulators and operators, not just administrative sanctions.
