PHNOM PENH, Nov. 25-(Kyodo), Cambodian authorities recovered Sunday the bodies of five Singaporeans and a Cambodian who went missing two days ago after an accident during the country's annual boat race festivities.
Touch Naruth, the Phnom Penh police chief, told Kyodo News the dead bodies of the six were found floating in the Tonle Sap River as far as 2 kilometers downriver from the accident site.
He had said earlier that a whirlpool caused the Singaporean's boat to capsize and six of 23 boat racers aboard went missing.
The accident happened around 5:40 p.m. Friday when the boat had completed its race and was within meters of riverbank.
Some 100 rescuers from the navy and paratroops along with fishermen continued to search for the missing boat racers from Friday night until the bodies were recovered Sunday.
Touch Naruth said a nine-member rescue team from Singapore had arrived in Cambodia on Saturday to help in the search.
Cambodia's water festival, or boat races, is a three-day event recalling the long history of a Cambodia that defeated enemies using boats.
It began Friday with an estimated 2 million people flocking from the countryside into the capital.
It is the country's biggest festival in which farmers have the chance to visit the city after months of hard work in the rice fields.
Chea Kean, deputy secretary general of the National and International Festival Committee, said 432 boats with 26,100 boat racers from across the country registered for the races.
Last year 409 boats participated.
Chea Kean added the Singaporeans, all in their 20s, were joining with another eight foreign boat teams representing each Association of Southeast Asian Nations state except Myanmar.
As in previous years, many of the boats in the race are named after top government officials, with Prime Minister Hun Sen's name being dominant, officials said.
King Norodom Sihamoni presides over the races, accompanied by members of the foreign diplomatic corps and government leaders, including the prime minister.
The 1,700-meter race course is just in front of the Royal Palace on the Tonle Sap River in Phnom Penh.
Touch Naruth, the Phnom Penh police chief, told Kyodo News the dead bodies of the six were found floating in the Tonle Sap River as far as 2 kilometers downriver from the accident site.
He had said earlier that a whirlpool caused the Singaporean's boat to capsize and six of 23 boat racers aboard went missing.
The accident happened around 5:40 p.m. Friday when the boat had completed its race and was within meters of riverbank.
Some 100 rescuers from the navy and paratroops along with fishermen continued to search for the missing boat racers from Friday night until the bodies were recovered Sunday.
Touch Naruth said a nine-member rescue team from Singapore had arrived in Cambodia on Saturday to help in the search.
Cambodia's water festival, or boat races, is a three-day event recalling the long history of a Cambodia that defeated enemies using boats.
It began Friday with an estimated 2 million people flocking from the countryside into the capital.
It is the country's biggest festival in which farmers have the chance to visit the city after months of hard work in the rice fields.
Chea Kean, deputy secretary general of the National and International Festival Committee, said 432 boats with 26,100 boat racers from across the country registered for the races.
Last year 409 boats participated.
Chea Kean added the Singaporeans, all in their 20s, were joining with another eight foreign boat teams representing each Association of Southeast Asian Nations state except Myanmar.
As in previous years, many of the boats in the race are named after top government officials, with Prime Minister Hun Sen's name being dominant, officials said.
King Norodom Sihamoni presides over the races, accompanied by members of the foreign diplomatic corps and government leaders, including the prime minister.
The 1,700-meter race course is just in front of the Royal Palace on the Tonle Sap River in Phnom Penh.
22 comments:
"Chea Kean added the Singaporeans, all in their 20s, were joining with another eight foreign boat teams representing each Association of Southeast Asian Nations state except Myanmar."
Except Myanmar?
Poor Cambodian Government management,put the foreigners in danger,just live saving jacket a piece for six to seven dollar,now they are embarrass them self because of lacking of westerners knowledges, I am telling all of you ,you can hate the westerners styles but it turn to be managing the country and rule of laws you have to steal and learn from them some.
Thanks you
I completely concur with you (10:52 PM); also, had not been for the Western (Socialist French), the cultural icon, Angkor Wat, would still be lost in the jungle. In addition, that also goes the undicovered off-shore oil fields.
Foreigners: Please DO stay away from Cambodia whether business or pleasure, because your personal safety is not assured.
Had these five ill-fated Singaporian rowers assured, their lives have not been lost worthlessly in a foreign country.
The Cambodian government launched rescue operation JUST to save face.
Yes, reality hurts.
Where are the fucking rescue boats,where is the choppers,the fucking small problem,should be fucken prevent,but they let them out off hand,why I call that fucken poor management,I live fucken here at the beaches or lake every fucken100 yards there live guards fucken protect me at any time any cost when I am at the beach,Imagine the big festival?
Well, we can't have life guards, choppers, and rescued boats because we needed the money to search for Ah Khmer-Yuon illegal immigrants and to ship them back to Vietnam.
Hahaha, it's funny for you guy 8:04. You don't need to spand more money for searching, if you want to know who are Ah Khmer Yuon, please ask me. Can you give me your address?
Your government care about protecting friendship with Yuon only.
Of course, and that is because Yuon free us from the murderous Khmer-Krohorm and help rebuilding our country.
Who the hell would want to be with Ah Khmer-Yuon slaves? All they know is grabbing our land to keep us in poverty forever, no thank you.
If these Singaporean rowers wore life jackets and the outcome of the tragic story would have been different!
How on Earth people could go to row a boat with no life jacket?
What Khmer Yuon or Khmer Krom do to keep your country in poverty? Mr. 8:50
in the 21st century, still have slave. So who is owner of Khmer youn slave? Vietnamese is owner? When Vietnamese and Cambodia stayed under French contry, they need independent, so why Khmer Krom or Khmer youn don't need indenpent? you think that Khmer Krom is not human being? If you said that Khmer Krom is slave and Vietnamese is slave owner, so your good friend Vietnamese is criminal or not?
hah hah! viets is still viet,tricks,cheating,robbering,stealling,killing 2 millioms Cambodians in Khmer Krohom regime .A lot of viets were secretly day light pretend working for pol pot,night time viets came out to kill.I clearly heard viet's language clearly with my both ears.One year later,viets from outside(hanoi) pretend to help and free us.viets are the real masters behind the killing field,most Cambodians know that.Now viets are trying to do the same method as they did in Khmer Krohom because these viets can speak and write Khmer language as second language and hiding behind Khmer's back like they did to pol pot.One day, China going to slain them for sure like China did in 1979 and in the A.D 100 to A.D 1000.But maybe worst than that the U.N know the viets's criminal claw,viets have to pay the price of what they have done to Cambodia and its people.God bless Cambodia...
Well, Ah Khmer-Yuon keep us in porverty by grabbing our lands, took our jobs, and destabilizing the country by killing people and political members with grenades, guns, axes,... and what have you.
And no, slaving criminals, is not a crime but a responsibility of the government.
As for independence, Ah Khmer-Yuon did fought for it, but they lost. So what else do you want, huh?
Hi 11:38. How Ah Khmer Youn can take your jobs while they are slave, and you and your Vietnamese are in Super class? or you are also slave?
Nope, we are not slave, only Ah Khmer Yuons. We don't have any problem with the Ah Khmer-Yuon slaves in Vietnam. Only those who escaped into Cambodia. They stole everything, and kill everyone in their ways. Thus, we'll have to hunt them down, dead or alive, and send all their asses back to Vietnam or their slave camp if you will.
12:06PM this mother fucker are youn agent,Cambodian people please search for this mother fucker,and zip it fuck-en mouth before this viet spy agent can hurt us.
Loser!
12:06 are still welcome as Cambodian spokeman. Can you let me know who were killed by Ah Khmer Youn (Khmer Krom)? Your writing will be not interesting if you haven't got any evidences.
One point, I want to remind you 12:54, or The royal Government of Cambodia, the people on the Tolesap make polution and stolen fish are not Khmer Krom but they are Vietnamese. If you don't know, please go to school.
correction:
Cambodia government spokenman
Who are you trying to kid, 3:39? It can't be Yuon because not too many of them is stupid enought to come down to Cambodia. They are Ah Khmer-Yuons.
You can ask your good friend Vienamese the people on Tonlesap is Khmer Youn or Youn? If they are Khmer Youn, why when Khmer Rouge shoot them, VN Embassy in Cambodia cry on the media?
You are very stupid 6:27
Nope, there aren't that many Yuons on Tonle Sap, maybe 200-300 tops, not millions. Plus, they don't bother anyone. So what are trying to say, 11:02?
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