Authorities in Malaysia and Thailand have recovered at least 13 bodies as they search for survivors after a boat carrying undocumented migrants capsised, police and maritime officials said on Monday.
Officials said the boat was carrying about 70 migrants, many believed to be from Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya community, trying to reach Malaysia, when it capsized near Thailand’s Tarutao island four days ago.
They were believed to have been part of a larger group of some 300 people who were split between at least two boats, police said.
Tarutao is just north of Malaysia’s island resort of Langkawi, where officials said search-and-rescue operations were being concentrated.
Romli Mustafa, director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in the northern states of Kedah and Perlis, said rescuers had so far recovered seven bodies, all identified as Rohingya.
“Thai authorities are also conducting (search-and-rescue) operations, where they have found six bodies,” Romli told a news conference.
“We expect to find more victims today,” he said, with currents expected to carry more victims south into Malaysian waters.
AFP journalists in Langkawi saw at least two more bodies being brought ashore on Monday, although it was not immediately clear whether they had been included in earlier counts.
Romlis said at least 12 vessels were searching for survivors in an area of around 250 square nautical miles, roughly the same size as the city-state of Singapore.
“We will continue to expand the search grid,” he said.
– ‘High risk routes’ –
At least 13 people have been rescued alive, all Rohingya and Bangladeshis, police said.
Langkawi police chief Khairul Azhar Nuruddin said six of the dead were identified as Rohingya women and one a Rohingya girl.
He said police believed the group of some 300 migrants started their journey from Myanmar two weeks ago.
The second vessel that left Myanmar has also been reported missing, Malaysian police said on Sunday.
Relatively affluent Malaysia is home to millions of migrants from poorer parts of Asia, many of them undocumented, working in industries including construction and agriculture.
However, the crossings, facilitated by human trafficking syndicates, are hazardous and often lead to overloaded boats capsizing.
“Cross-border syndicates are now increasingly active in exploiting migrants by making them victims of human trafficking using high-risk sea routes,” Romli said.
Syndicates charge up to $3,500 per person for passage, Malaysian media have reported.
More than 20 migrants drowned in several incidents off the Malaysian coast in December 2021, one of the worst months.
NAN