Refugee boat capsizes in Andaman Sea; 250 people, including children, missing
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A boat carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals capsized in the Andaman Sea, leaving around 250 people, including children, missing, according to the United Nations.
Preliminary reports indicated that the vessel sank due to a combination of overcrowding, strong winds, and rough sea conditions, though the exact circumstances remain unclear, Free Press Journal reported.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said the trawler had departed from Teknaf in southern Bangladesh and was heading towards Malaysia when it went down.
The agency noted that the boat was believed to have been carrying about 280 people and had set sail on April 4. It described the incident as a tragic example of the consequences faced by displaced Rohingya communities amid the lack of long-term solutions to their situation.
UNHCR further indicated that the tragedy underscored the urgent need to address the root causes of displacement in Myanmar and to create conditions that would allow Rohingya refugees to return voluntarily, safely, and with dignity.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had earlier reported that in 2023, around 427 Rohingya were feared dead in two separate shipwrecks off the Myanmar coast, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by those attempting such journeys.
For years, Rohingya communities have faced persecution in Myanmar, with more than 730,000 people forced to flee in 2017 during what has been widely described as a campaign of ethnic cleansing by the military. Many sought refuge in camps in neighbouring Bangladesh.
Thousands continue to undertake dangerous sea journeys each year, attempting to escape ongoing repression and conflict in Myanmar as well as the harsh conditions in overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh. Many travel on unsafe, makeshift boats in the hope of reaching nearby countries and finding better living conditions.
According to the Bangladesh Coast Guard, one of its vessels rescued nine survivors, including a woman, from the capsized trawler on April 9 while it was en route toward Indonesia, as reported by AFP.
Malaysia remains a preferred destination for many Rohingya refugees due to its Muslim-majority population and the presence of an established Rohingya diaspora.