MYANMAR (Reuters) – Twenty-nine more bodies from a crashed Myanmar military plane were found on Thursday in Dawei City.
Rescue work started from Wednesday afternoon in Launglon Town located in the southwestern part of Dawei City, south of Myanmar’s Tanintharyi Province. Apart from naval boats, many civilian boats were used to search the missing people.
“Debris of the plane have been found in the area, which was 14 miles from us. The waves in the sea nearby Launglon Town were very strong. Based on the current situation of wind and waves, it will take two and a half hours to steer boats into shore,” said the general director of the rescue team.
Batches of rescuers have gathered in the town ever since the accident. Many local residents volunteered to support the rescue.
“Many people came to carry these bodies. Villagers nearby actively joined in the rescue,” said an official of Tanintharyi Province.
By 15:40, 29 bodies were found and sent to the shore, with no survivors found so far. Rescue operations are still underway.
With 122 people aboard, including 108 military personnel, family members and 14 crew members, the aircraft lost contact with the ground off the coast of southern Tanintharyi region Wednesday while en route from Myeik to Yangon.
The plane took off from Myeik air base at 1:06 p.m. local time (0636 GMT). When it reached a height of 18,000 feet (5,400 meters) at 1:35 p.m., it lost contact with the ground at a location 32 kilometers west of Dawei and went missing.
The aircraft was on a round trip transport mission along the Yangon-Myeik-Pokkpyin route.
