A ferry accident in Burma's Irrawaddy Delta has claimed at least 10 lives with three people still missing and 72 rescued.

State media reported that the “Pathein Thu” sank at around 2 pm on Tuesday as it was about to dock at a jetty near Ngapudaw Township. It had just completed the 30 km journey from Pathein Township on the Pathein River, which lies around 135 km west of Rangoon.

The cause of the accident is still being investigated but there are accusations that rough conditions and overcrowding could have been to blame.

A senior police spokesman from Ngapudaw Township told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that at least five women and one child were amongst the dead.

“The police are continuing to search for survivors and have been joined by volunteers from the public,” he said. “There was a big wave at the time so the flow of water was very strong. When the ferry stopped suddenly and turned to approached the jetty the wave hit so it lost control.”

There were around 100 passengers on board and residents of Ngapudaw Township claimed that this meant the vessel was overloaded at the time of the accident.

“Passengers told me that the boat sunk because it was overloaded and people were crowded on board,” claimed an onlooker. “When the ferry stopped and turned to the shore it lost control and turned over.”

Many of those on the ferry were local people from Ngapudaw Township who went to Pathein Township to sell goods and were now returning home, according to local sources.

Boat travel is often used in Burma's vast river deltas and coastal regions, which are poorly served by road or rail, and accidents are common. In November 2009, a ship sunk in Pathein claiming the lives of 40 passengers with another 50 still missing. The vessel was primarily a cargo ship that was also carrying passengers on board.