27 May
A tug boat pulling the log barge sank in the Chindwin River yesterday, killing five people, officials said.
The tug boat pulling the log barge collided with the cargo vessel, according to township police.
Sub-inspector Moe Min Tun said the accident happened in the early hours of Sunday (May 26), between pier Nos. P3 and P4 of the Chindwin bridge. Carrying 11 people, the tug boat collided with a cargo vessel sailing in the river in the same direction. Following the accident, the tug boat sank in the river, leaving five people dead, including the boat’s helmsman.
Subsequently, five bodies were found and six passengers were rescued, by a search-and-resuce team, he added.
U Myo Win, a passenger on the boat, said both vessels collided while they were sailing in the same direction. The rear-seat passengers escaped, as they jumped from the boat during the accident, but people seated in the front perished. —Police Force (Translated by Khaing Thanda Lwin)
