Around 250 people, including children, are feared missing after a boat carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals capsized in the Andaman Sea, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the trawler had departed from Teknaf in southern Bangladesh and was heading towards Malaysia when it sank due to rough weather, strong winds and overcrowding.
The vessel was believed to be carrying around 280 people and had set sail on April 4. Most passengers were likely refugees from camps in Cox’s Bazar, where over a million Rohingya live after fleeing violence in Rakhine State in Myanmar.
The Bangladesh Coast Guard said nine survivors were rescued on April 9 by a passing vessel near the Andaman Islands. Survivors reported that the boat capsized after several days at sea, with many passengers already in critical condition.
One survivor said traffickers had lured passengers with promises of jobs abroad, adding that they spent days at sea before the vessel overturned. He described floating in the water for hours before being rescued.
The UNHCR said the tragedy highlights the dangers faced by Rohingya refugees undertaking risky sea journeys due to ongoing displacement and lack of long-term solutions.
The incident also underscores the role of human trafficking networks that facilitate such dangerous crossings, often resulting in overcrowded and unsafe vessels.
The Andaman Sea, bordering Myanmar, Thailand and the Malay Peninsula, is a common route for migrants attempting to reach Southeast Asia. Last year, hundreds of Rohingya were reported dead in similar shipwrecks in the region.
