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33 Dead After Myanmar Ferry Sinks


A ferry carrying more than 200 people has sunk off the coast of western Myanmar, leaving at least 33 people dead and at least a dozen others missing.

The Aung Takon went down late Friday after encountering high seas on a voyage from the town of Kyaukphy to Sittwe in western Rakhine state.

Authorities said 167 people had been rescued, but the rest are believed to have drowned. However, local residents say many more may have died because they believed several passengers were not on the manifest and the boat was overloaded.

Marine accidents are common in Southeast Asia where many people depend on old, crowded boats for transport.

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