The boat was reportedly overloaded after it departed from Bangladesh and was bound for Malaysia when it sank in the Andaman Sea
Credit: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty
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Key Takeaways
- Around 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, are missing after a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea
- Nine survivors were rescued by a passing oil tanker after being found floating in the water
- The United Nations’ refugee and migration agencies reportedly said the boat sank as a result of heavy winds and overcrowding
Around 250 people are reportedly missing after a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea near the coast of Bangladesh.
On Tuesday, April 14, the United Nations' refugee and migration agencies revealed in a joint statement that the vessel carrying women, men and children from Teknaf in southern Bangladesh sank as a result of heavy winds and overcrowding, according to Reuters, the BBC and the Associated Press.
Rough seas were also a factor in the boat capsizing, the outlets reported.
Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals were reportedly on the boat, which was heading to Malaysia.
Credit: Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP via Getty
"This tragedy highlights the devastating human cost of protracted displacement and the continued absence of durable solutions for the Rohingya," the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International Organization for Migration said in a statement, per Reuters.
When the boat sank is currently unclear, the Associated Press reported.
Nine people, including three Rohingya and six Bangladeshis, were rescued on April 9, the Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Com. Sabbir Alam Suzan told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
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The individuals were rescued when they were found floating in the water after the sinking of the boat.
A second coast guard official told the Associated Press that the survivors consisted of eight men and one woman.
The official added that the rescue was not part of the search operation due to it occurring outside Bangladesh territory, adding that survivors were rescued by crew members from the oil tanker M.T. Meghna Pride while the ship travelled from Bangladesh to Indonesia.
Since 2017, Rohingya, a Muslim minority in Myanmar, have been fleeing the country to avoid persecution, as well as overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh, per the BBC and Reuters.
Credit: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty
The group often travels by boat to nearby countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
According to Reuters, the United Nations' refugee and migration agencies have asked for international assistance to provide aid for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and assistance for Bangladeshi hosts.
PEOPLE reached out to the United Nations' refugee and migration agencies, as well as the Bangladesh Coast Guard for comment.
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