Malaysian Coast Guard has recovered one body after a boat carrying undocumented migrants capsized near the Thailand–Malaysia maritime border.
At least ten people including a Bangladeshi have been rescued alive, though many others remain missing. The vessel was carrying around 90 migrants, according to officials.
Three Myanmar nationals and two Rohingya refugees have been among the survivors. The accident is believed to have occurred near Tarutao Island, located north of Malaysia’s popular resort destination, Langkawi, Al Jazeera reports.
Local police chief Adzli Abu Shah said that they believed the migrants were attempting to enter Malaysia illegally. Search and rescue operations are ongoing. The recovered body has been identified as that of a Rohingya woman, he added.
Malaysia’s state news agency Bernama reported that two other boats carrying a similar number of migrants were also believed to be in the same area, though their whereabouts remain unknown.
According to Bernama, the victims had initially boarded a large vessel but were instructed to transfer onto three smaller wooden boats as they neared the Malaysian border to avoid detection by authorities. Each boat reportedly carried about 100 passengers.
Malaysia hosts one of the largest populations of migrant workers and refugees in Asia—many of them undocumented—working mainly in low-paid sectors such as construction and agriculture.
Additionally, members of Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority frequently flee by sea to escape ongoing conflict and discrimination. Nearly one million Rohingya refugees currently live in overcrowded camps across southern Bangladesh.
Driven by desperation, many refugees attempt risky sea crossings to reach relatively affluent countries like Malaysia and Thailand, often relying on human trafficking syndicates. These perilous journeys frequently end in tragedy when overloaded and poorly equipped boats capsize in rough seas.
