A minimum of 250 people, amongst them Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, were reported missing in the Andaman Sea as they made their way towards Malaysia, according to the United Nations’ refugee and migration agencies.
As of Wednesday morning, April 15, it remains unclear precisely when the boat sank and whether any search operation is under way for those unaccounted for.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR] and the International Organization for Migration [IOM] issued a joint statement on Tuesday confirming that the trawler had set off from Teknaf in the southern Bangladeshi district of Cox’s Bazar, carrying a substantial number of passengers bound for Malaysia.
The agencies stated that overcrowding, powerful winds and treacherous seas caused the vessel to lose control and sink.
UNHCR and IOM said the tragedy highlighted the prolonged displacement of the Rohingya people and the lack of any resolution to their plight.
They noted that continuing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state has left the prospect of a safe return for Rohingyas deeply uncertain, while severely limited humanitarian aid, restricted access to education and employment within refugee camps continue to drive vulnerable Rohingya refugees towards perilous sea crossings, frequently lured by false promises of higher wages and greater opportunities overseas.
The UNHCR and IOM have called on the international community to bolster financial support and global solidarity in order to guarantee vital assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, a country that has taken in more than one million Rohingya fleeing Myanmar.
