Dozens missing as migrant boat sinks near Langkawi border
Dozens missing as migrant boat sinks near Langkawi border
Rescue teams race to find survivors after a boat carrying about 300 people capsizes off Langkawi, with several confirmed deaths and hundreds still missing.
Dozens are feared missing after a migrant boat capsized off Langkawi near the Malaysia-Thailand border. The vessel carried about 300 people when it went down in rough seas, leaving at least seven dead and thirteen rescued, with hundreds unaccounted for. The boat had apparently been transferring to three smaller boats, each carrying roughly 100 people, to evade detection by authorities.
Authorities say the search and rescue operation is ongoing, with the area expanded to more than 256 square nautical miles and expected to last seven days as teams scour the waters for survivors.
The migrants, many Rohingya from Myanmar's Rakhine state, were believed to have departed from Buthidaung and were on their way toward Malaysia. The incident underscores the perilous journeys undertaken by asylum seekers and refugees in the region.
Malaysian maritime and police authorities are coordinating with help from neighboring nations to widen the search and provide aid to those rescued. Humanitarian groups have called for safer, legal pathways for migration and greater protections for those fleeing violence and poverty.
As rescue teams continue their work, relatives await news, and weather and sea conditions will influence the pace of operations in the days ahead.
