Shipwreck found but not Dhammazedi bell: Divers' leader
Divers searching for the Dhammazedi bell have found a shipwreck in the murky Yangon River - but not the legendary 400-year-old bell, dive-team leader Than Nyunt said.
Since the search started on August 5 the divers searched everyday for a week but all they found was a shipwreck, Than Nyunt said, after returning to his home in Kawthoung, Tanintharyi Region.
He said the latest search was the third that San Lin had hired him on since 1997 to search for the bronze bell, said to weigh nearly 300 tonnes. But there were no strong clues during the search for the bell and divers only found a shipwreck, for the second time, he said.
San Lin has organised four searches for the bell – in 1997, 1998, 1999 and this year, Than Nyunt said.
“Four times exactly. The first one was in 1997. In the 1999 search, I sent my son on behalf of myself, as the previous efforts went in vain. But he hired my diving team. In 1998, we also found a shipwreck,” Than Ny said.
He confirmed that his team had never found the bell – despite reports suggesting that they had.
San Lin has so far failed to issue a statement to confirm the finding of the fabled bell. On August 26, he said that it was found and would be lifted from the Yangon riverbed in a few days.
Meanwhile, revered monk Natsintaya Sayadaw Bhaddanta Panna Teja yesterday held a press conference to rebut reports that he had worked with San Lin in the search. When the team said it found the bell he was in Bangkok for medical treatment, he told the press conference.
“There were reports that I said the bell was discovered,” he said. “Indeed, when I was told the bell was discovered, I urged the team to verify it.”
San Lin reportedly spent Ks 70 million (about US$ 70,000) out of the Ks 150 million funds earmarked for the search, at an estimated daily rate of Ks 5 million.
Kyi Win, the search team’s information officer, said: “San Lin told me by phone on August 26 about the discovery of the bell and asked me to release the news. I had no part in the search. I am only responsible for collecting donations onshore. I don’t know anything else. As far as I know, the bell has not been discovered yet.”
Treasurer Than Sein said Ks 13 million more donated during the search had been kept in Yoma Bank and the money had not been touched yet.
He said the money could be returned or it would be donated to a temple if the bell was not found.
