Authorities have recovered seven dead bodies believed to be among the missing passengers of the motorbanca MBCA Amejara, as search and rescue (SAR) operations continue in waters off Southern Mindanao and near the Philippine–Indonesian maritime boundary.
According to reports received by the Philippine Coast Guard, the bodies were found floating at sea by search and rescue teams operating in the Sarangani Strait and the Celebes Sea. Four bodies were recovered in the Celebes Sea off Balut Island, while three others were found about 75 nautical miles from Maasim, Sarangani Province.
Fishing magnate Marfin Tan, citing Coast Guard information, said the recovered bodies were initially brought to Balut Island for proper handling, identification, and coordination with concerned authorities.
The MBCA Amejara, a recreational vessel, departed from Santa Ana Wharf in Davao City at around 8:00 p.m. on January 17, 2026, carrying 16 passengers. Prior to the latest recovery, one passenger had been rescued alive, while the rest were reported missing after the vessel encountered trouble at sea.
Meanwhile, the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) said it has intensified search efforts to locate the remaining missing passengers. As of January 23, 2026, the Navy escalated its operations by deploying a naval aircraft (Beechcraft King Air C90) for expanded maritime air surveillance, particularly along the sea boundary between the Philippines and Indonesia.
In addition, the Navy’s landing craft BRP Tagbanua (LC-296) continues to patrol and scour the Sarangani Strait and nearby sea lanes, working closely with the Coast Guard and other government agencies.
The NFEM stressed that search and rescue operations will continue until all missing passengers are accounted for, underscoring its commitment to exhaust all available resources despite the challenging sea conditions.
Authorities have yet to release the identities of the recovered victims pending proper identification and notification of their families.