At least nine students have drowned in southern Cambodia after the ferry they were on capsized as it crossed a river.
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Four people, two students and two of the boat's crew, were rescued following the accident on Thursday night on the Mekong River southeast of Phnom Penh, and two students were still missing on Friday, police said.
Major General Chhoeun Sochet, chief of the Kandal provincial police, said on his Facebook page that the boat was overloaded and carried no life jackets.
The students, who were between 12 and 14 years old, lived on an island in the river and used the ferry for transport almost every day in the rainy season, as did others from their village.
During the dry season, the river has little or no water and can be traversed by foot. The students were on their way to an English class on Thursday when the boat capsized.
The police chief in Kandal's Leuk Daek district, Am Thou, said the accident occurred as the boat was approaching the shore. It took on water in the bow, and the students were instructed to move to seats in the middle or stern of the boat.
However, as they walked back, the boat became unbalanced and turned over.
One of the survivors, 12-year-old Ry Chanbora, was shown in a video broadcast online by Swift News telling relatives that she normally doesn't know how to swim well despite living near the river. She said that when the boat was going down she jumped out, trying to swim with her face up, and drifted to the river's bank.
King Norodom Sihamoni on his royal Facebook page offered condolences and prayers for the families of the victims.
Police chief Am Thou said the boat's owners, who were its crew, had been hospitalised after the accident but would face legal action.
Australian Associated Press
