11 killed after passenger boat capsizes in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

At least 11 people were killed after a passenger motorboat carrying dozens of people capsized in a river in Rakhine State’s Ponnagyun Township on Monday, according to rescue workers and local residents. The accident occurred around noon when the boat, travelling to the town of Kyauktaw from Ku Taung, a village in Rathedaung Township, overturned in strong river currents near the U Rit Taung Pagoda in Ponnagyun, local sources said. The vessel was carrying approximately 35 passengers. Rescue teams and residents launched recovery efforts shortly after the accident. Initial searches recovered the bodies of five women and three men. However, residents said the death toll rose to 11 by the end of the day as additional victims were found. “The motorboat was carrying passengers to Kyauktaw to purchase goods when it sank in the Kin River, reportedly due to strong currents,” one resident said. “Some critically injured survivors were taken to hospital.” The Ponnagyun Youths Association said those who died ranged in age from their 20s to their 60s. Authorities have not released an official breakdown of the casualties or the number of people injured. The accident has renewed concerns about water transportation safety in Rakhine State, where passenger boats are a vital means of travel but often operate without adequate safety equipment. Wai Hin Aung, a Rakhine-based writer and humanitarian volunteer who assists displaced civilians and vulnerable communities in the state, urged residents to wear life jackets, particularly during the rainy season when river conditions become more dangerous. He also called on the Arakan Army (AA), which controls most of Rakhine State, to strengthen enforcement of transportation safety regulations. “The Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government needs to enforce regulations strictly,” he said, referring to the AA’s civilian administration. “Boats should carry only the permitted number of passengers, operators must be properly trained, and all passengers should wear life jackets.” Passenger boats operating throughout Rakhine State are rarely equipped with life jackets, and passengers generally do not wear them, residents said. Ponnagyun is one of14 townships in Rakhine State administered by the AA. The group also controls Paletwa Township in neighbouring Chin State. In late May, the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government’s Department of Transport issued safety guidelines urging boat operators and passengers to wear life jackets and avoid overloading vessels with people or cargo. According to Arakan Princess Media, a news outlet close to the AA, 15 people drowned in separate incidents across Rakhine State during May.

11 killed after passenger boat capsizes in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Rescue workers urge the Arakan Army to do more to enforce transport safety regulations in areas under its control

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