YANGON, March 24 (Reuters) - At least 16 people were drowned and 12 missing in Myanmar when an overloaded boat capsized in a river near Yangon, the official Kyemon Daily reported on Saturday.

There were at least 70 people on the small boat, along with sacks of rice bran, when it was caught in a whirlpool in the Toe river on Friday, the paper said.

It was the first time state media had reported a boat sinking in years in a country ruled by the military since 1962, although accidents from overloaded vessels are known to be common in central Ayeyarwaddy Delta and Rakhine Coastal Regions.

The paper said that 42 passengers had been rescued by vessels and boats passing nearby and rescue teams were searching for the rest.

AlertNet news is provided by