Over 250 Migrants, Including Bangladeshis, Missing After Boat Sinks in Andaman Sea

A boat carrying migrants to Malaysia has sunk in the Andaman Sea, with more than 250 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants feared dead.

According to Bangladesh Police, as reported by Anadolu Agency, the boat left the coast of Cox’s Bazar and later capsized after being caught in rough weather.

Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Model Police Station, said that on April 9, a Bangladeshi ship rescued nine survivors from the Indian Ocean and handed them over to authorities. Six of those rescued are suspected human traffickers and have been sent to jail. A case has been filed in connection with the incident.

One survivor, Rohingya refugee Rafiqul Islam, said the boat was carrying around 280 people, including about 150 Rohingya and the rest Bangladeshi nationals. He said 25 to 30 people died during the journey due to overcrowding and suffocation before the boat was eventually struck by large waves and sank.

In a joint statement, UNHCR and IOM said the tragedy highlights the ongoing crisis of displacement and the lack of long-term solutions. They called on the international community to increase funding and support for Rohingya refugees.

Currently, about 1.3 million Rohingya refugees are living in Bangladesh, most of whom fled during the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar. With no formal repatriation process in place, many are taking dangerous sea routes out of desperation.

Earlier, the Bangladesh Coast Guard said a Bangladeshi-flagged vessel traveling from Chattogram to Indonesia rescued the nine survivors near the Andaman Islands.