Hundreds of people are feared missing after a crowded migrant vessel sank near the Malaysia-Thailand maritime border, officials confirmed Sunday, as rescuers continued to search for survivors amid worsening weather conditions.
Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency said the wooden boat, carrying about 300 people, went down three days ago after departing from Buthidaung, Myanmar — a region long plagued by conflict and mass displacement of the Rohingya minority. First Admiral Romli Mustafa, who oversees maritime operations in Kedah and Perlis, said 10 survivors had been rescued and one body recovered so far.
According to Malaysian state media Bernama, the survivors included three Myanmar men, two Rohingya men, and one Bangladeshi man. The recovered body was identified as a Rohingya woman. Search-and-rescue teams are combing the waters off Langkawi, a frequent route for human smuggling and migrant crossings.
Authorities said passengers originally boarded a larger vessel in Myanmar but were instructed to transfer into three smaller boats, each carrying around 100 people, as they neared Malaysia to avoid detection by authorities. The fate of the other two boats remains unknown.
The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, have long fled persecution and military crackdowns in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, often embarking on dangerous journeys by sea to seek refuge in Malaysia, Indonesia, or Thailand. Human rights groups have repeatedly warned of worsening conditions in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, forcing thousands to risk their lives on overcrowded boats.
Rescue operations remain underway, with Malaysian authorities coordinating with regional partners in hopes of finding more survivors.
Reuters
