KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — A boat believed to be carrying 90 undocumented migrants from Myanmar, Bangladesh and the Rohingya community has broken apart in waters near the Malaysia-Thailand maritime border.
So far, six survivors have been rescued, while a Myanmar woman has been confirmed dead.
Kedah police chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said the vessel was part of a larger ship carrying about 300 people before smugglers transferred them into three smaller boats as they neared Malaysian waters.
“Three days ago, as they were approaching the border, the group was split up by the syndicate and moved into three smaller boats, each carrying around 90 people.
“The boat carrying 90 people is believed to have sunk, while the other two have yet to be located,” he told Harian Metro last night.
Adzli said the six survivors comprised individuals from Myanmar, including Rohingya refugees, and Bangladesh.
“The first three rescued were Myanmar men, while the next three found this afternoon were two Rohingya and one Bangladeshi.
“Meanwhile, the body of a Rohingya woman was also found drifting at sea,” he added.
According to the national daily, he said each person had reportedly paid about RM13,000 to the syndicate for the journey to Malaysia.
“The main vessel carrying 300 people — a mix of Myanmar, Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals — left about a month ago.
“They were said to have paid RM13,000 each, with some even selling their land to afford the trip,” he reportedly said.
Adzli said investigations are ongoing, while a search and rescue (SAR) operation is under way with assistance from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and the Marine Police Force (PPM) to locate more victims and the remaining missing boats.
