Dozens feared dead as boat carrying 250 Rohingya, Bangladeshi migrants sinks in Andaman Sea
Bangladeshi authorities rescue nine survivors from the Indian Ocean as witnesses report dozens of deaths from suffocation and overcrowding.
A boat carrying over 250 irregular Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants has reportedly sunk in the Andaman Sea after it left coastal Cox’s Bazar for Malaysia, a police official told Anadolu agency.
The report has come to light after a Bangladeshi vessel rescued nine people from the Indian Ocean on 9 April and handed them to Bangladeshi police, Officer-in-Charge of Teknaf police station Saiful Islam said.
Of the nine rescued, six are alleged traffickers and have been sent to jail.
A case has been filed with the Teknaf Model Police Station regarding the illegal transport of Rohingya and Bangladeshis, which sank due to adverse weather.
The Bangladesh Coast Guard confirmed that a Bangladesh-flagged vessel rescued the survivors near the Andaman Islands.
In a joint statement, the UNHCR and IOM in Bangladesh stated that this tragic incident reflects the dire consequences of protracted displacement and the lack of long-term solutions for the Rohingya.
"We urgently call on the international community to step up solidarity and sustain funding to support lifesaving assistance," the agencies demanded.
Bangladesh is hosting about 1.3 million Rohingya, mostly fleeing a Myanmar military crackdown in August 2017.
No official repatriation has occurred due to opposition from the Myanmar military junta, leaving the community frustrated and forcing many to embark on perilous sea voyages.