Thailand: Authorities in Thailand and Malaysia announced Monday the recovery of at least 21 bodies and intensified search operations after a boat carrying migrants sank off the coast of Malaysia. Authorities in both countries believe the boat, which capsized four days ago, was carrying undocumented migrants from Myanmar, many of them Rohingya, as part of a group of at least 300 people spread across several boats.
According to Qatar News Agency, the search operations took place near the area where the boat capsized, in the vicinity of Tarutao Island, north of Langkawi, Malaysia. Romley Mustafa, an official with the Maritime Safety Agency in the Malaysian states of Kedah and Perlis, said that five bodies were recovered during the day. Mustafa condemned the "increasingly active transnational networks that exploit migrants." He said it "makes them victims of human trafficking using extremely dangerous sea routes."
These bodies are in addition to the seven victims recovered over the weekend, all of whom have been identified as Rohingya. The Malaysian official expressed hope that survivors would be found when the search resumes on Tuesday, noting that "Thai authorities have recovered nine bodies so far. No survivors have been found in Thai waters."
In total, 13 people, both Rohingya and Bangladeshi, have been rescued, according to police. Langkawi police chief Khairul Azhar Nooruddin said six of the victims were Rohingya women, and also mentioned the discovery of the body of a Rohingya girl. He said that the group of approximately 300 migrants had left Myanmar about two weeks prior.
According to the UNHCR, more than 650 Rohingya died in the region's waters in 2024.