25 dead in Myanmar ferry disaster

AFP, YANGON: Searchers have recovered 25 bodies from a ferry that sank in central Myanmar and expect to find scores more corpses as workers begin raising the boat from the riverbed, officials said Monday.A total of 154 people have been rescued since the boat sank early Saturday on the Chindwin River about 72 kilometres (45 miles) north of the city of Monywa.
Search teams scouring the river, who are now securing the boat with ropes so it can be hauled out by a crane, fear the death toll could go as high as 100.
“Now we have found 25 dead bodies but we are still trying to lift the boat out,” said Sa Willy Frient, the director of the local relief and resettlement department who is overseeing the operation.
Earlier he told AFP the ferry had been filled with “mainly university students and schoolteachers” when it sank at around 5:00 am on Saturday.
“I think around 70 or 80 university students and about 30 schoolteachers, and also doctors,” he added.
The boat was carrying an estimated 240-250 people—around 100 more than its capacity—along with heavy cargo, including several motorbikes.

 

25 dead in Myanmar ferry disaster

AFP, YANGON: Searchers have recovered 25 bodies from a ferry that sank in central Myanmar and expect to find scores more corpses as workers begin raising the boat from the riverbed, officials said Monday.A total of 154 people have been rescued since the boat sank early Saturday on the Chindwin River about 72 kilometres (45 miles) north of the city of Monywa. Search teams scouring the river, who are now securing the boat with ropes so it can be hauled out by a crane, fear the death toll could go as high as 100. Now we have found 25 dead bodies but we are still trying to lift the boat out, said Sa Willy Frient, the director of the local relief and resettlement department who is overseeing the operation. Earlier he told AFP the ferry had been filled with mainly university students and schoolteachers when it sank at around 5:00 am on Saturday. I think around 70 or 80 university students and about 30 schoolteachers, and also doctors, he added. The boat was carrying an estimated 240-250 peoplearound 100 more than its capacityalong with heavy cargo, including several motorbikes.