At least 10 dead, 3 missing in Burma ferry accident

2012-03-23 08:49:04 GMT+7 (ICT)

YANGON, BURMA (BNO NEWS) -- The death toll has risen to at least ten after a ferry boat carrying some 100 people capsized in Burma, local authorities said on Thursday.

The Pathein Thu ferry capsized on Tuesday afternoon at around 2 p.m. local time in Burma's Irrawaddy Delta shortly before docking near the township of Ngapudaw.

A senior police spokesman told The Irrawaddy that at least 10 people had died, among them five women and one child, while three others were still missing. Emergency teams were able to save 72 passengers.

The ferry boat was traveling from Pathein Township on the Pathein River, located around 135 km west of Rangoon, and it had just completed its 30 kilometer journey when the deadly accident occurred.

Exact details of the accident are still being investigated, but initial reports indicate that a large wave crashed into the vessel, causing it to lose control and eventually capsize. In addition, witnesses said it was overloaded.

Boat accident are not uncommon in Burma, as many townships and areas of the country's coastal regions are usually connected by vessels. While roadways are in poor conditions, vessels are often overloaded.

One of Burma's deadliest accidents in recent times occurred in November 2009 when some 40 people were killed and 50 others remained missing during an incident involving a cargo ship carrying several passengers.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-03-23

I don't believe those figures for a second. Mid last year a barge working in the Yetagun gas fields flipped and many lives were lost (60-70 I believe). No mention of that in any media or any official report from the Junta.

Tsunami official figures for Kawthaung/Victoria Point (southern tip of Burma) was 3 dead. Witnesses actually saw hundreds/thousands.

Come on Aung Sun Suu Ji. Get in power and sort this crap out.