Malaysian and Thai Authorities Recover at Least 21 Bodies from Migrant Shipwreck
Search operations continue as officials expect more survivors in the waters near Langkawi.
Authorities in Malaysia and Thailand have recovered at least 21 bodies as they search for survivors after a boat carrying undocumented migrants capsized, according to police and maritime officials.
The boat, believed to be carrying about 70 migrants, mostly from Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya community, was attempting to reach Malaysia when it capsized near Thailand’s Tarutao island on November 6th.
Tarutao Island is located just north of Langkawi, an island resort in Malaysia where search-and-rescue operations are concentrated.
Romli Mustafa, the director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in Kedah and Perlis, stated that rescuers found five more bodies on Monday, without disclosing their nationality or ethnicity.
Seven bodies recovered over the weekend were identified as Rohingya.
Search efforts, which involve at least 12 vessels covering an area of approximately 250 square nautical miles, are expected to last seven days depending on weather conditions and further discoveries.
Malaysian MMEA patrol vessels set out from Langkawi despite challenging seas and harsh weather conditions during their operations.
At least 13 people have been rescued alive, all identified as Rohingya and Bangladeshis.
Six of the deceased were women, and one was a girl.
The group is believed to have embarked on their journey from Myanmar two weeks ago.
Another vessel carrying migrants from Myanmar has also been reported missing by Malaysian police.
The hazardous nature of these crossings, facilitated by human trafficking syndicates, often results in overloaded boats capsizing.
These operations are considered high-risk routes due to the exploitation of migrants for human trafficking.
The cost for passage ranges from $2,000 to $3,500 per person according to reports from Malaysian media.
The plight of the Rohingya, a persecuted community in Myanmar, continues as they risk their lives annually to escape repression and civil war.
In 2024, approximately 657 Rohingya have lost their lives in these waters, as reported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The boat, believed to be carrying about 70 migrants, mostly from Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya community, was attempting to reach Malaysia when it capsized near Thailand’s Tarutao island on November 6th.
Tarutao Island is located just north of Langkawi, an island resort in Malaysia where search-and-rescue operations are concentrated.
Romli Mustafa, the director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in Kedah and Perlis, stated that rescuers found five more bodies on Monday, without disclosing their nationality or ethnicity.
Seven bodies recovered over the weekend were identified as Rohingya.
Search efforts, which involve at least 12 vessels covering an area of approximately 250 square nautical miles, are expected to last seven days depending on weather conditions and further discoveries.
Malaysian MMEA patrol vessels set out from Langkawi despite challenging seas and harsh weather conditions during their operations.
At least 13 people have been rescued alive, all identified as Rohingya and Bangladeshis.
Six of the deceased were women, and one was a girl.
The group is believed to have embarked on their journey from Myanmar two weeks ago.
Another vessel carrying migrants from Myanmar has also been reported missing by Malaysian police.
The hazardous nature of these crossings, facilitated by human trafficking syndicates, often results in overloaded boats capsizing.
These operations are considered high-risk routes due to the exploitation of migrants for human trafficking.
The cost for passage ranges from $2,000 to $3,500 per person according to reports from Malaysian media.
The plight of the Rohingya, a persecuted community in Myanmar, continues as they risk their lives annually to escape repression and civil war.
In 2024, approximately 657 Rohingya have lost their lives in these waters, as reported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
