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An overcrowded ferry transporting 70 passengers capsized in the southern waters of Myanmar on Sunday evening. Eight fatalities were confirmed, with 17 individuals, including school-going children returning from a holiday break, reported missing, as per a source from the rescue team who communicated with Radio Free Asia. 

The ferry, packed with villagers from Kyauk Kar, had just embarked on its journey to the southern town of Myeik in the Tanintharyi region when it met with powerful currents that caused it to tip over, according to an anonymous local resident. Media regulations enforced by the military administration prevented the resident from revealing their identity.

“We were only able to recover eight bodies last night, with many people still unaccounted for,” said the anonymous rescuer.

“We do have a number of survivors, but the exact figure is uncertain. Currently, the situation is chaotic.”

Boating mishaps are not uncommon in Myanmar, with numerous accidents occurring in its rivers and along its coastal areas. Hundreds of daily commuters, migrant laborers, and refugees have been involved in such accidents this year.

The local resident further revealed that among the victims were students returning to school after the Thadingyut holiday, their parents, and others displaced by recent unrest in the region. The accident occurred as the ferry was navigating a channel notorious for its dangerous currents.

“The currents near Kyauk Kar, where the ocean begins, are extremely powerful,” the resident explained.  “The ferry, due to its position and being top-heavy, capsized when the currents became too turbulent.”

The eight deceased individuals were identified as seven females aged between 16 and 60, and a three-month-old male infant, according to local reports. 

The rescue committee stated that 47 passengers managed to survive the ordeal, while 17 children were still missing. Local residents and civil society groups were actively participating in the search for more victims.

The military has remained silent on the incident, with no response to RFA’s attempts to contact Thet Naing, the spokesperson for the Tanintharyi region’s junta.

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Translation by Kiana Duncan. RFA Staff performed the editing.