Malaysian and Thai authorities resumed search operations on Tuesday for dozens of people missing at sea after a boat carrying members of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority sank near the border between the two countries, killing at least 21.
Since Saturday, 13 survivors have been rescued in Malaysian waters, while 12 bodies, including two children, have been recovered, Malaysia’s maritime agency said on Monday. Romli Mustafa, regional director at the agency, added that Thai authorities had found nine bodies, though a local police official in Satun province said only six had been recovered.
Malaysian authorities plan to continue searches until Saturday, while Thai teams will widen operations around Koh Tarutao, where most of the bodies were found.
The Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority in Myanmar, have for years attempted perilous sea journeys to neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand to escape violence and overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.
Authorities said hundreds of Rohingya boarded a vessel for Malaysia two weeks ago, later split onto two boats. One, carrying 70 people, sank shortly afterwards, while the fate of around 230 on the other remains unknown.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, more than 5,100 Rohingya attempted to leave Myanmar and Bangladesh by boat between January and early November this year, with nearly 600 reported dead or missing.
The frequent arrivals of Rohingya on smuggler-operated vessels have sparked criticism from Southeast Asian nations, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia, over Myanmar’s treatment of the minority. Malaysia, which does not recognise refugee status, has increasingly detained Rohingya or turned boats away.
Amnesty International urged ASEAN countries to ensure that boats carrying refugees are allowed to land safely, saying, “The unconscionable practice of pushing boats away from borders must end.”
