Over 250 Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees have gone missing in the Andaman Sea after a boat carrying them capsized on the way to Malaysia recently. Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesperson Sabbir Alam Suzan said that nine people, including three Bangladeshi and six Rohingyas, were rescued on 9th April.
According to a joint statement issued by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Malaysia-bound trawler, which had departed from Bangladesh, “reportedly sank due to heavy winds, rough seas and overcrowding.” “This tragic incident reflects the dire consequences of protracted displacement and the absence of durable solutions for the Rohingya,” the statement reads.
A BBC report says that the Bangladesh-flagged Motor Tanker Meghna Pride was sailing from Bangladesh to Indonesia when its crew found the 9 survivors around 2 AM on 11th April. They brought the survivors on board. It was later determined that they were from both Bangladeshi and Rohingya communities in Cox’s Bazar. They were found clinging to drums and wooden debris, and were spotted by the crew of Meghna.
The trawler had departed Teknaf in southern Bangladesh and was attempting to reach Malaysia.
