Seven Dead After Boat Capsizes in Myanmar While Fleeing Violence

Photo : Reuters

Seven people have been confirmed dead and over 30 others remain missing after a boat carrying villagers fleeing conflict capsized in the Andaman Sea. According to local media reports and a rescue worker, the tragedy occurred on Sunday, with the vessel reportedly carrying an estimated 70 to 75 individuals. The boat was en route from Kyauk Kar, an island located in an estuary leading to the sea, to the coastal town of Myeik in Myanmar's southern Tanintharyi region.

A villager involved in the rescue efforts, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fears of military reprisal, shared that about 30 passengers had been rescued. The overcrowded boat departed from Kyauk Kar around 9:30 PM, but it sank just 15 minutes later near the mouth of the estuary. The villager suggested that strong currents and the boat’s overcapacity—normally meant for 30 to 40 passengers—may have contributed to the accident.

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Kyauk Kar is situated approximately 520 kilometers south of Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, and is in close proximity to other areas experiencing intense fighting between the Myanmar military and pro-democracy guerrilla groups. Many passengers aboard the ill-fated boat were fleeing violence that had escalated in their villages over the past week.

Since the military coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in February 2021, Myanmar has been engulfed in turmoil. The military's actions have sparked widespread armed resistance, and significant portions of the country are now mired in conflict. The Tanintharyi region, in particular, has become a stronghold for resistance fighters.

According to the local research group FE5 Tanintharyi, the violence in the region intensified in September, with reports indicating that approximately 20 civilians lost their lives, 308 were arrested by the military, and around 59,000 people were displaced as a result of the ongoing fighting.

Clashes have escalated in the villages of Kye and Me Laung Chaung, located about 10 kilometers east of Kyauk Kar, following the deployment of hundreds of army troops attempting to engage local resistance fighters.

Given the ongoing conflict, the sea route has become a vital transportation link for the region’s villages, as major roads have been blocked due to fighting. However, this mode of transport is not without risks; accidents at sea have claimed many lives in Myanmar, especially as the precarious situation continues to unfold.