Diver Dies From Injuries in Military Plane Crash Search

By Kyaw Kha 23 June 2017

YANGON — A diver who was injured in the search for the crashed Y-8 military aircraft died on Thursday evening, according to the Facebook page of the office of the commander-in-chief of Myanmar’s military.

U Saw Naing of Ana-Wa-Min diving service from Yangon’s Dala Township joined the Tatmadaw in order to find the plane, which crashed in the Andaman Sea on June 7.

However, U Saw Naing and his colleague from the service, U Thant Zin Oo, was placed in an intensive care unit at the military hospital in Yangon’s Mingaladon Township after experiencing problems with the change in pressure.

U Thant Zin Oo is still receiving treatment in intensive care. The statement from the commander-in-chief’s office expressed condolences for the family of U Saw Naung.

According to initial figures from the Tatmadaw, 122 people—14 crew and 108 military staff traveling with their families—were on board when the plane crashed during its journey from Tanintharyi Region’s port town Myeik to Yangon.

Later, military said there were two more children on board, raising the number to 124. Ninety-three bodies have been recovered so far, according to military figures released on Tuesday.

The plane’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were retrieved on June 18. parts of the aircraft’s tail have also been found. The cause of the crash is not yet known.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.