YANGON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - At least 23 people were missing and presumed drowned when a ferry capsized in a river in northwest Myanmar, official newspapers reported on Thursday.

Another 147 passengers were rescued on Tuesday night when the vessel sank in the Chindwin River, 890 miles (1,400 km) northwest of Yangon, the former Burma's main city, the Myanma Alin reported.

It was the third major boat accident reported by state media this year in the army-ruled country where sinkings and collisions involving overloaded vessels are common.

At least 10 people died in a boat accident near Yangon in May and 20 passengers were killed in March when their vessel capsized in the Toe River near the former capital. (Reporting by Aung Hla Tun; Editing by Darren Schuettler and Sanjeev Miglani)

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