At Least 11 Dead After Rohingya Migrant Boat Sinks Near Thailand-Malaysia Border

Rescue teams in Thailand and Malaysia are searching for survivors after a boat carrying Rohingya migrants capsized near the Thailand-Malaysia border, leaving at least 11 people dead. Authorities believe around 70 passengers were on board the vessel.

Malaysian officials said the status of a second boat carrying 230 passengers remains unclear, though 13 survivors have been rescued so far, mostly from the Rohingya community. Thai authorities have recovered four bodies, including two children, adding to the seven found by Malaysia’s maritime agency.

Rohingya migrants flee violence and persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine State and increasingly harsh conditions in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Many risk perilous journeys across the sea to reach Malaysia and Indonesia.

Romli Mustafa, director of Malaysia’s maritime agency in Kedah and Perlis, said coordinated air and sea search operations were underway and could last up to seven days. He added that some passengers had transferred to another vessel during the journey, which began in Myanmar near the Bangladesh border roughly two weeks ago.

Since January, over 5,100 Rohingya have attempted sea voyages from Myanmar and Bangladesh, with nearly 600 reported dead or missing, according to the UN Refugee Agency. The recent incident highlights the ongoing dangers faced by one of the world’s most persecuted minorities.