Kuala Lumpur— A boat carrying around 300 migrants from Myanmar capsized last week in the Indian Ocean near the maritime border between Thailand and Malaysia, leaving dozens missing, officials confirmed on Sunday. At least one body has been recovered, while 10 survivors have been rescued.
Authorities said the exact time and location of the incident remain unclear, but early reports suggest the vessel sank in Thai waters before survivors drifted toward Malaysia. Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) official First Admiral Romli Mustafa stated that a preliminary probe indicates the boat departed from Buthidaung in Myanmar’s Rakhine state and sank roughly three days ago.
The MMEA launched a search and rescue operation on Saturday after several survivors were spotted drifting near Malaysia’s Langkawi island. Among the rescued are several people from Myanmar and one man from Bangladesh. A woman’s body, believed to be from Myanmar, was also found floating nearby.
“There is a possibility that more victims will be located as the operation continues,” Romli said, adding that search efforts remain ongoing.
Malaysian police believe the boat capsized in Thai waters, warning that cross-border smuggling networks are increasingly exploiting migrants through dangerous sea routes. Some of the rescued passengers were identified as Rohingya Muslims, a persecuted minority from Myanmar who have long sought refuge abroad.
Malaysia remains a preferred destination for many Rohingya due to its majority-Muslim population. However, authorities have tightened entry controls in recent years. In January, Malaysian forces turned away two boats carrying nearly 300 Rohingya attempting to enter illegally.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Malaysia currently hosts over 117,000 registered Rohingya refugees — accounting for about 59% of its total refugee population.
