Myanmar ferry capsizes; 45 dead, over a dozen missing

A couple mourns their lost child as they arrive in Sittwe, western Myanmar, March 14, 2015, after a ferry carrying 225 people capsized in western Myanmar and killed 45 onboard. [Photo/IC]

YANGON, Myanmar - A crowded double-decker passenger ferry capsized in northwestern Myanmar after being slammed by huge waves, killing 45 people and leaving more than a dozen missing, officials and state television said Saturday.

Rescuers pulled 167 survivors from the sea and brought them to safety after the Aung Tagun 3 went down near Myebon in Rakhine state late Friday, said Myanmar Red Cross Disaster Management chief Maung Maung Khin. He said many of the survivors were sent back to their homes.

The ferry was carrying 216 passengers, and 34 people were confirmed dead, state television reported. Search and rescue teams were looking for those still missing.

The government-run ferry left from the coastal town of Kyaukphyu at about 8:30 pm Friday. It had traveled around 80 kilometers (50 miles) northward when it hit rough seas, the government said.

Boat accidents due to overcrowding and bad weather are common in Myanmar's river deltas and coastal regions. People rely on boat transport because of the lower cost and the inaccessibility of many areas by road.