Kuala lumpur: The death toll from the sinking boat carrying migrants from Myanmar near the Malaysia-Thailand border has risen to 13, announced the Malaysian authorities on Monday. It is believed that around 70 people were aboard the boat, which capsized in territorial waters near Langkawi Island.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the Director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Romli Mustafa, shared in a press conference that the fate of another boat carrying 230 passengers remains unclear. He noted that 13 survivors, including 11 Rohingya and two Bangladeshis, have been found so far. Mustafa explained that initial information indicates a large vessel departed from Myanmar near the Bangladeshi border about two weeks ago, with some passengers later transferring to smaller boats.
He confirmed that aircraft from both Thailand and Malaysia are currently involved in the search for survivors, emphasizing that the use of aircraft to support maritime search efforts will enhance operations that could extend up to seven days.
This tragedy highlights the ongoing violence in Myanmar and the worsening conditions in overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh, which compel hundreds of Rohingya to embark on dangerous sea journeys to Malaysia or Indonesia annually in pursuit of safety. Myanmar's Rakhine State has long been plagued by conflict, famine, and ethnic violence, primarily affecting the Muslim Rohingya minority.
Since the large-scale military campaign in 2017, approximately 3.1 million Rohingya have sought refuge in Bangladesh. UNHCR data indicates that more than 5,100 Rohingya left Myanmar and Bangladesh by sea between January and early November of this year, with nearly 600 reported as missing or dead.