At least eight schoolchildren have died after a ferry sank, and at least three are still missing. It’s in the waters of Kandal province, Cambodia’s second most populous city, local police reported on Friday.
The incident occurred on Thursday night when an unidentified boat carrying about 15 children who had dropped out of school and went home sank between two villages in the county of Leuk Dek in the southeast of the country. Authorities confirmed to Cambodian media that at least eight students, whose ages have not been disclosed, died in the crash. 4 people were rescued alive and was transferred to a local hospital.
With at least three more missing, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen urged police and rescue services to intensify searches for possible survivors this morning. “I urge the police and relevant authorities to continue searching for the victims of this tragedy and urge them to support their families at this difficult time,” the President said on his Facebook account. to the relatives of the students.
According to local media reports, police estimate that about 15 passengers were traveling on the ship, which sank in the town of Kampong Dor Toteung after leaving the village of Ampil Teuk for the remote village of Koh Chamroeun, where about 300 families live. Authorities are still investigating the causes of the accident, but they have suggested it. preliminary investigations point to possible ‘negligence’ According to the news of the Phnom Penh Post newspaper, the boat owners, which may have been aggravated by the rise in the water level due to the heavy rains that hit the region, pointed out that there are signs that the boat may be damaged in this sense. exceeded the maximum passenger limit and lack of adequate flotation devices in an emergency.