Rohingya Refugees, Bangladeshis Among Over 250 Go Missing After Boat Headed To Myanmar Capsizes

2 min readUpdated: Apr 15, 2026 09:29 PM IST

More than 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, are feared missing after a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea while attempting to reach Malaysia, according to UN agencies.

Bangladesh Coast Guard officials confirmed that nine people were rescued on April 9 after being found drifting in open waters. The survivors—three Rohingya and six Bangladeshis—were picked up by the Bangladesh-flagged vessel MT Meghna Pride.

According to officials, the rescued group included eight men and one woman. They were later handed over to authorities and brought to Teknaf, where they were transferred to the local police. The rescue operation was carried out independently by the ship’s crew, as the location of the incident fell outside Bangladesh’s territorial waters.

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Overcrowding and rough seas blamed for tragedy

A joint statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the trawler had departed from Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, carrying a large number of passengers headed toward Malaysia.

The agencies indicated that overcrowding, combined with strong winds and rough sea conditions, likely caused the vessel to lose stability and sink. Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact timing of the incident, and there is no clear update on any ongoing search operations.

UN agencies noted that many such journeys are influenced by misleading promises of jobs and improved living conditions abroad, leaving vulnerable individuals exposed to significant risks.

Call for global support intensifies

The UNHCR and IOM have urged the international community to increase funding and support for Rohingya refugees. Bangladesh currently hosts over one million Rohingya who fled persecution in Myanmar.

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They stressed that without long-term solutions and improved living conditions, desperate migration attempts are likely to continue, often with tragic consequences.

With agency inputs

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Overcrowding and rough seas blamed for tragedy

Call for global support intensifies

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