Eighth grade student dies after stepping on landmine while fishing in Kalay Township

Mizzima

An eighth-grade student, around 16 years old, died on 6 September after stepping on a landmine while fishing in a village in Kalay Township, Sagaing Region, according to the Khana Tar Ayeik (Temporary Shade) Hospital, Prometheus.

Since schools were closed that day, the incident occurred when four friends, including the male victim, went to search for fish in pools and ponds located near their village.

“The patient arrived at our hospital more than two hours after the incident. The primary obstacle was the difficult travel conditions along the route,” Dr. Phyo Kyaw, the medical officer in charge of the Khana Tar Ayeik Hospital, told Mizzima on the evening of 8 September.

Upon arrival at the hospital, the patient had sustained severe injuries, was semi-conscious, and was suffering from extreme blood loss.

Although hospital doctors performed emergency life-saving procedures, the patient could not be saved, Dr. Phyo Kyaw added.

The area where the incident occurred had previously been mined by revolutionary forces to block military junta columns during offensives. The junta forces had also reportedly laid landmines when they patrolled through the area.

Later, when the revolutionary forces regained territorial control, they cleared the landmines they had planted and also conducted sweep operations in areas where junta-planted mines were suspected to be.

“From what we gathered, the revolutionary group had issued warnings. Even though they cleared the area, they warned that there could still be residual abandoned landmines and urged people to avoid those spots. This means that although the threat exists along paths to the farmlands, local farmers usually bypass these dangerous areas. But on that day, instead of going to their usual spots, the boy reportedly took that specific route. That is how the incident happened, according to what we heard,” the doctor explained.

Dr. Phyo Kyaw added that including this latest victim, three civilian landmine casualties had been admitted to the hospital, two of whom passed away. He noted that landmines have also caused severe physical disabilities and limb loss in other cases. He urged the public to strictly avoid areas where relevant organizations have warned of potential landmine hazards.

Since the 2021 military coup, civilian casualties due to landmines have skyrocketed across the country. According to UNICEF Myanmar data monitoring landmines and other explosive ordnance (EO) incidents, a total of 327 incidents were recorded nationwide in the first six months of this year, January to June, resulting in 487 civilian casualties with both deaths and injuries.