A ferry carrying more than 350 passengers capsized in Basilan province in the southern Philippines, killing at least 15 people, officials said.

The MV Trisha Kerstin 3, a passenger ferry heading from the port city of Zamboanga to Jolo island in southern Sulu, capsized at midnight on Monday. The Philippine Coast Guard said there were 332 passengers and 27 crew members on board. The boat had sent a distress signal at 1:50 a.m. local time on Monday. Rommel Dua, the commander of the Southern Mindanao Coast Guard district, told AFP that at least 316 people had been rescued so far, of whom 15 were confirmed dead and 28 were still missing. "A coast guard aircraft is also coming to help with the operation. The navy and air force have also sent their assets," Dua told AFP. Emergency workers in Basilan said those rescued were being taken to hospitals in the capital, Isabela, for treatment. Mindanao Coast Guard Commander Dua said the cause of the sinking was not immediately clear and would be investigated. He said the coast guard had evacuated the boat before leaving Zamboanga Port and there were no signs of overloading. Frequent storms,  old ships, overcrowding and poor compliance with safety regulations in remote provinces have caused accidents in the Philippine archipelago.