Kuala Lumpur — Approximately 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals — men, women and children — are feared missing and presumed dead after an overcrowded trawler capsized in the Andaman Sea last week.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) expressed deep sadness in a joint statement on Tuesday, describing the incident as a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by those undertaking perilous sea journeys in search of safety.
According to preliminary information, the fishing trawler was carrying around 280 passengers when it departed from Teknaf in southern Bangladesh on 4 April 2026, heading towards Malaysia. The vessel reportedly sank on or around 9 April 2026 due to heavy winds, rough seas, and severe overcrowding.
Only nine people were rescued — eight men and one woman. The survivors had been drifting at sea for nearly 36 hours, clinging to plastic drums and wooden planks, before they were spotted and picked up by the MT Meghna Pride, a Bangladeshi-flagged vessel en route to Indonesia. They were later handed over to the Bangladesh Coast Guard.
Search and rescue operations continue in the area, but hopes of finding more survivors are fading due to the difficult sea conditions.
UNHCR and IOM stated: “This tragedy highlights the devastating human cost of protracted displacement and the continued absence of durable solutions for the Rohingya crisis.”
The Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar, have been living in overcrowded refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, for years. Every year, thousands risk their lives on dangerous sea routes, often facilitated by human trafficking networks, in a desperate attempt to reach Malaysia, Indonesia or other countries for better opportunities and safety.
The agencies called on the international community to increase funding for life-saving assistance to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and to support the host communities.
This is one of the deadliest boat tragedies involving Rohingya migrants so far in 2026.
