A serious shipping accident in Myanmar is said to have claimed about a hundred lives. According to reports and eyewitnesses, the vehicle capsized on Tuesday. Teachers and students are also believed to have been on board the supply ship. Only seven people could be rescued alive; all others were missing.
More than a hundred people were aboard the military ship of the ruling junta, which has been in power in the former Burma since a 2021 coup, ‘The Irrawaddy’ newspaper reported, citing the army and residents.
Running aground on rocks in strong currents
The accident took place on Tuesday on the Chindwin River in the northwestern region of Sagaing, Min Thu, who lives nearby, told the German News Agency on Friday. The ship was part of a convoy transporting supplies and new troops to the disputed area. According to reports, the ship struck rocks in a strong current near the city of Mingin and subsequently capsized. In addition to soldiers, teachers and students were also said to have been on board.
Witnesses were afraid to help the military ship
“It is now the rainy season and the current is very strong,” continued 42-year-old Min Thu. There are also reports that the ship was overloaded. “When a ship sinks, people here usually help each other to save it, but since the coup, the situation has become very risky.” Many were afraid because it was a military ship.
Myanmar has been embroiled in chaos and violence since the coup. Because there is a lot of resistance to the junta in the Sagaing region, violence is particularly intense in this part of the country. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of residents have already been displaced.
Source: Krone
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