Eight Dead, Two Missing After Boat Capsizes in Ponnagyun Township

News ၊ June 15, 2026

Scene of the boat capsizing incident. (Photo - ONN)

In Ponnagyun Township, Arakan State, a motorboat traveling from Ma Sa Kan in Rathedaung Township to Kyauktaw Town for shopping capsized in San Ma Twi Creek near the Ponnagyun Suspension Bridge today, June 15, at around 11:45 AM.

According to rescue workers, five women and three men lost their lives in the accident, while one man and one woman remain missing.

Relevant authorities are currently continuing their search for the two missing individuals.

The motorboat was carrying 35 passengers in total. There are 24 survivors, three of whom are men who have been rushed to the hospital for emergency medical treatment.

Arakan State is rich in rivers and creeks, and boat capsizing incidents occur frequently during this early monsoon season due to strong winds and rough waves.

Therefore, it serves as a critical reminder that motorboats navigating these waterways must avoid carrying cargo and passenger loads beyond their proper and designated capacity.

The Department of Transportation under the Arakkha People's Revolutionary Government has also issued a directive urging vessel owners and passengers to check meteorological conditions before traveling, to wear life jackets during trips, and to avoid overloading vessels with excessive passengers and cargo.