A boat carrying around 300 migrants from Myanmar capsized in the Indian Ocean near the maritime border between Thailand and Malaysia, leaving one person dead, 10 rescued, and dozens missing, officials said Sunday, reports AP.
Authorities said the exact time and location of the sinking remain uncertain, though the vessel likely capsized in Thai waters. Investigators believe it was part of an illegal migration route operated by transnational human smuggling networks.
According to a preliminary report from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), the boat departed from Buthidaung in Myanmar’s Rakhine State and sank about three days ago. MMEA First Admiral Romli Mustafa said a search and rescue operation began Saturday after several survivors were spotted drifting near Malaysia’s Langkawi Island.
Rescuers recovered the body of a woman believed to be from Myanmar. Among the 10 survivors were several Myanmar nationals and one man from Bangladesh, Romli said. “There is a possibility that more victims will be found as the operation continues,” he added.
State police chief Adzli Abu Shah told Malaysia’s Bernama news agency that the vessel likely went down in Thai waters before survivors drifted into Malaysian territory.
The Rohingya, a Muslim minority group from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, have faced decades of persecution, driving many to flee by sea to nearby countries such as Malaysia, which remains a preferred destination due to its Muslim-majority population.
In January, Malaysia turned away two boats carrying nearly 300 Rohingya refugees attempting to enter the country illegally. While Malaysia has admitted some refugees on humanitarian grounds, authorities have tightened border controls in recent years to discourage large-scale arrivals.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Malaysia currently hosts over 117,000 registered Rohingya refugees—about 59% of its total refugee population.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
