About 20 people from Myanmar remain missing in the swollen Mekong River, after their long-tailed boat, carrying 40 passengers, capsized on Monday evening.
Other boat operators rushed to the rescue of the passengers and managed to pluck 20 of them to safety. The search continued for the remaining passengers until nightfall.
According to a witness, the ill-fated boat was carrying about 40 Burmese passengers from Laos towards Tachileik in Myanmar, which is across the border from Thailand’s Chiang Rai province.
The boat’s engine suddenly stopped working, leaving the skipper unable to navigate the strong currents in the swollen river. The boat eventually capsized.
