250 Missing After Rohingya Boat Capsizes in Andaman Sea

Around 250 people are missing after a boat carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals capsized in the Andaman Sea, according to reports from multiple sources. The trawler, which had departed from Teknaf in southern Bangladesh bound for Malaysia, reportedly sank due to heavy winds, rough seas, and overcrowding.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration issued a joint statement highlighting the devastating human cost of protracted displacement. The agencies called on the international community to increase funding for life-saving assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh as well as support for Bangladeshi host communities.

Nine survivors were rescued by a ship from the Bangladesh Coast Guard, including one woman, after floating for nearly 36 hours. According to AFP, BCG spokesperson Lt Cdr Sabbir Alam Sujan reported that the vessel spotted several people using drums and logs as makeshift floats and rescued them from deep waters near the Andaman Islands.

Survivors recounted harrowing experiences, with one survivor, Rafiqul Islam, telling AFP he was lured onto the boat by traffickers who promised him a job in Malaysia. He described being kept in a holding area where some passengers died and suffering burns from spilled oil before the vessel capsized.

The incident underscores the dangers faced by Rohingya fleeing persecution in Myanmar and overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh. Thousands of Rohingya risk their lives every year, embarking on unsafe wooden boats to reach neighboring countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. The UNHCR emphasized that this tragedy reflects the dire consequences of prolonged displacement and the absence of durable solutions for the Rohingya.