Savannakhet, Laos—A small passenger boat capsized in swift currents on the Mekong River late Sunday afternoon, killing two occupants while river police rescued three others. Emergency marine units responded after riverbank residents reported a vessel swamped in the main channel.
Strong water turbulence overturned the wooden craft as the operator attempted to navigate across a rough stretch near the municipal dock area. Five passengers were thrown into the muddy water, struggling against the fast river flow.
Local boatmen jumped into rescue launches, pulling three surviving commuters out of the river channel. Paramedics treated the three survivors on the dock for water inhalation and shock before transporting them to a local clinic.
River police rescue divers searched downstream currents for two missing passengers swept away during the initial flip. Search crews recovered the bodies of the two drowned individuals hours later near a sandbar downstream.
"High river levels and swirling undercurrents overwhelmed the small engine, causing the hull to take on water and capsize," a Savannakhet provincial marine officer reported.
Local authorities secured the overturned wooden hull, towing it to the riverbank for technical inspection. Marine inspectors noted that the small craft was not equipped with adequate personal flotation devices for all passengers.
Crowds gathered along the riverbank embankment while police cataloged retrieved personal belongings and secured the landing area. Provincial authorities issued urgent notices to local boat captains regarding river navigation hazards and life jacket regulations.
The three rescued passengers remain under medical observation at a district health center in stable condition.
Medical examiners have verified the identities of the two drowned victims and notified immediate family members.
River police patrols maintain active monitoring across the local Mekong waterway sector following the incident.
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