Police in Kandal province’s Sa’ang district on Sunday found the body of a man who drowned Saturday when a canoe he was paddling with friends on the Bassac River capsized, while a second man who disappeared under water during the accident is presumed dead.
Six friends were cruising the river in a wooden canoe on Saturday afternoon when the wake of passing motorboat caused the smaller craft to capsize and sink, commune police chief Loeung Chantara said Sunday.
“The strong waves made their small boat start rocking, and they panicked and made the boat sink in the river,” he said.
Chen Chhengkea, 22, and Muy Phearun, 21, both from Phnom Penh, could not swim and disappeared beneath the surface, Mr. Chantara said, adding that police found Muy Phearun’s body at about 6 p.m. Sunday and are still looking for Chen Chhengkea.
The other four paddlers, three men and one woman, made it to shore safely, Mr. Chantara said.
