1 June 2026 — A Chin motorboat operator from Ko Phy Sey village in Paletwa township, Chin State, has been reported missing for more than a week after travelling to Rakhine State to transport goods, according to his family.
The man, believed to be around 32 years old, has not returned home since completing the delivery. Family members said they have received no information regarding his whereabouts and are increasingly concerned about his safety.
The missing man worked as a motorboat operator transporting goods between Paletwa township and Rakhine State. Contact with him was lost while he was carrying out a delivery in Rakhine.
According to local sources, the motorboat he had been operating was later found in a village in Rakhine State. However, his whereabouts remain unknown, and his condition has not been confirmed.
A family member said they had received no news about him despite more than a week having passed since his disappearance, leaving relatives deeply worried.
Given the current security situation in the area, family members suspect that he may have been detained by the Arakan Army (AA), although they have been unable to verify the claim independently.
The family has appealed for his immediate release if he is being held. They stressed that motorboat operators transport goods on behalf of cargo owners and have no authority over the nature or destination of the cargo. They therefore urged all relevant authorities to view him as an innocent civilian worker.
Large areas of Rakhine State bordering Chin State are currently under the control of the Arakan Army (AA), which administers and oversees security operations in those territories. – Reporting by Ben
