Maung Sarga, Narinjara, 31 May, 2025 

Ten cargo boats sank in the Chin Letwa Creek located in Paletwa Township, Chin State, under the control of the Arakan Army (AA), and one individual is unaccounted for. 

Residents informed Narinjara that the vessels capsized because of powerful currents and waves in the creek on May 30, around midday. 

Ko Myat Lay (30), who hails from Ywama Ward in Paletwa Township, is likewise unaccounted for in the sinking. 

Lately, the cyclone that moved through the interior regions north of Dhaka, Bangladesh, has resulted in intense rainfall and powerful waves in various areas and states, including Chin State and Rakhine State. 

A resident remarked, “This is the rainy season; thus, it pertains to the water channels. We must exercise extra caution. It is not only in Paletwa but also within Rakhine State. Rakhine has numerous water-related industries. Furthermore, we experience storms annually. We are now troubled that vessels are going down in Paletwa.” 

AA police officers in Paletwa Township acted to rescue the other traders during the sinking. 

AA police officers are still searching for Ko Myat Lay, the missing person. 

The vessels were transporting fuel oils, solar panels, battery boxes, and various items acquired from Mizoram, India to Rakhine state through Chin's Paletwa Township. 

Traders believe that the boat's sinking may have resulted in damage to merchandise valued at hundreds of thousands of kyat.

It is still unclear to whom the boats belong and their origin. 

Traders mention that in this rainy season, the mountain roads are poor and the waterways challenging when trading from Mizoram to Rakhine, requiring caution.