Search for woman, young daughter missing in Mekong river

Search for woman, young daughter missing in Mekong river

Patrol boats of the Mekong Riverine Unit search the Mekong river in Nakhon Phanom's That Phanom district for a woman who jumped into the river with her 7-year-old daughter on Sunday. (Photo: Pattanapong Sripiachai)
Patrol boats of the Mekong Riverine Unit search the Mekong river in Nakhon Phanom's That Phanom district for a woman who jumped into the river with her 7-year-old daughter on Sunday. (Photo: Pattanapong Sripiachai)

NAKHON PHANOM: The search continued on Monday for a woman seen jumping into the Mekong river, taking her 7-year-old daughter with her, from a moored boat in That Phanom district on Sunday afternoon.

Divers from the Mekong Riverine Unit (MRU) and the Sawang Naval Rescue Association were assisting in the search.

The missing woman is Veena Hanket, 44, an official at the education department of  Tambon Khok Phu Municipality in Sakon Nakhon's Phu Phan district.

She was seen holding her 7-year-old daughter, Nong Yindee, in her arms as she jumped into the Mekong river from a boat at Pratu Khong pier in That Phanom district.

They both disappeared from view. Witnesses reported the incident. 

Pol Col Thawil Khamket, the That Phanom police chief, arranged for divers from the MRU and the Sawang Nava Rescue Association to scour the river for the woman.

The search was called off about 11pm and resumed at 10am on Monday.

The missing woman's father, Boonthom Hanket, 65,  said she married a military officer and they had a daughter. They had family problems and divorced three or four years ago.

He said his daughter was 2-3 million baht in debt from a sideline business and was stressed out.

Police searched the boat she jumped from and found car keys, a purse containing her identification cards, a mobile phone, an amount of cash and two pairs of sandals.

Her car, a Honda City, was found parked near the boat pier.  

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