A boat carrying more than 80 passengers, including students, capsized off the coast of Kyaukkar village in Palaw Township, Tanintharyi Region, on the night of October 20. Local sources confirmed that the passengers remain missing.
The motorboat, which was en route from Kyaukkar village to Myeik, capsized near Kyaukkar around 9 p.m. on October 20, reportedly after being hit by strong waves in the open sea. The boat was loaded with goods, including fish barrels, and carrying over 80 passengers.
“So far, we’ve recovered seven bodies and rescued 11 survivors. More than 70 people are still missing. Those rescued have been taken to Kyaukkar Township Hospital,” a local resident said.
The passengers included students, government employees returning home for the Thadingyut holidays, internally displaced people (IDPs) fleeing conflict in nearby villages, and other locals. Many were displaced by ongoing fighting in Palaw Township and were traveling by boat due to the ongoing clashes, which have disrupted road transport.
Rescue operations are being carried out by local boat owners from nearby villages and volunteer rescue teams based in Myeik. The search continues, but hopes of finding more survivors are dwindling.
Due to fighting along the Palaw-Myeik Union Highway, hundreds of cargo trucks have been stranded, forcing many locals to rely on boat travel as the only available means of transport.
