Kota Kinabalu: Families of undocumented Filipinos held across Sabah’s detention centres are worried that the tragic sinking of M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 will stall scheduled deportation exercises.
With the Philippine government’s immediate grounding of the entire Aleson Shipping Lines fleet (the primary maritime link for the Zamboanga-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi repatriation corridor), relatives fear their loved ones will remain trapped in overcrowded Sabah immigration depots.
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The sudden logistical paralysis comes just as Sabah was gaining momentum in its 2026 crackdown on illegal immigration, leaving hundreds of processed detainees in a state of legal and emotional limbo.
The maritime tragedy, which occurred off the coast of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan, claimed at least 18 lives, including an infant, while 10 individuals, including the captain and crew, remain missing.
Philippine Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez confirmed that divers and remotely operated vehicles are currently scouring the wreckage 76 meters below the surface.
The indefinite suspension of Aleson Shipping Lines’ operations for seaworthiness inspections effectively severed the repatriation of Filipinos programme.
Aleson Shipping Lines recorded 32 safety-related incidents since 2019 and is the dominant operator for the southern Philippine routes.
The grounding order leaves a massive void in transport capacity that other commercial liners may struggle to fill.
The halt now risks “bottlenecking” the system at major depots in Kota Kinabalu, Papar and Sandakan, where capacity is already a perennial concern.
Prolonged stays in temporary detention without clear timelines led to psychological stress and unrest among detainees.
