At least 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, are missing after a boat sank in the Andaman Sea while heading to Malaysia, according to the United Nations refugee and migration agencies.
The UNHCR and International Organization for Migration said the boat departed from Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar carrying many passengers when it reportedly sank due to heavy winds, rough seas and overcrowding.
The exact timing of the incident remains unclear. However, on April 9, a Bangladesh-flagged vessel rescued nine people who were found “clinging to drums and wooden debris” to stay afloat, according to the Bangladesh Coast Guard.
Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesperson Lt Com Sabbir Alam Suzan told the media on Wednesday that the nine survivors included three Rohingya refugees and six Bangladeshi nationals. They were rescued by the Bangladesh-flagged vessel M.T. Meghna Pride after being spotted floating at sea following the capsize.
He said the survivors were later handed over to the coast guard and taken to Teknaf police station. The rescued group comprised eight men and one woman, all are safe.
Suzan added that the rescue was not part of any official search operation, as the incident occurred outside Bangladesh’s territorial waters. He said the M.T. Meghna Pride, which was travelling from Chittagong to Indonesia, came across the survivors during its voyage.
UNHCR communications officer in Cox’s Bazar, Shari Nijman, said on Wednesday that the agency had no further updates on the situation.
A separate Bangladesh Coast Guard media official, speaking to the media by phone on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the rescued individuals were all safe after being handed over to authorities in Teknaf.
The agencies said the incident highlights the prolonged displacement of Rohingya refugees and the lack of durable solutions to their situation.
They noted that ongoing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State has made safe repatriation uncertain. Limited humanitarian aid, along with restricted access to education and employment in refugee camps, continues to push vulnerable Rohingya to undertake dangerous sea journeys in search of better opportunities abroad, often driven by false promises of higher wages.
UNHCR and IOM urged the international community to increase funding and solidarity to ensure life-saving assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, which currently hosts more than 1 million displaced Rohingya from Myanmar.
#From Agencies