A large number of people were being transported to Malaysia – investigations and search efforts are currently underway after the disappearance in the Andaman Sea
At least 250 people are missing after a boat capsized on the way to Malaysia.
At least 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, were missing in the Andaman Sea as they were embarking on the journey to Malaysia, according to the United Nations’ refugee and migration agencies.
As of Wednesday morning, April 15, it is currently unclear exactly when the boat sank and the status of any search for those missing.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR] and the International Organization for Migration [IOM] in a joint statement said Tuesday that the trawler departed from Teknaf in the southern Bangladeshi district of Cox’s Bazar carrying a large number of passengers to Malaysia.
Overcrowding, strong winds and rough seas caused the vessel to lose control and sink, the agencies said.
UNHCR and IOM said the disappearance reflected the protracted displacement of Rohingya people and the absence of solutions to the problem.
They said ongoing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state has made the Rohingyas’ safe return to Myanmar uncertain, and limited humanitarian assistance, restricted access to education and employment in refugee camps, continue to push vulnerable Rohingya refugees to choose risky sea journeys, often based on false promises of higher wages and better opportunities abroad.
UNHCR and IOM urged the international community to strengthen funding and solidarity to ensure lifesaving assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, which has sheltered more than 1 million Rohingya from Myanmar.
