Boat of Fleeing Rohingya Sinks in Bay of Bengal, Survivors Arrested

RB News

October 29, 2013

On October 25 2013 a boat containing mostly Rohingya fleeing from Myanmar for safe haven sank in the Bay of Bengal. There are an unconfirmed number of deaths and survivors have been reportedly arrested and detained. 

On October 25th a boat carrying mostly Rohingya fleeing for safe haven sank in the Bay of Bangle outside southern Maungdaw and Rathedaung attempting to reach Malaysia. An unconfirmed number of passengers drowned as a result, and the survivors have been scattered across Myanmar shores. 

On October 27th at 7am four Rohingya women were arrested on the coast of Kyin Khali village tract (Rathedaung) by military authorities. They were detained at a local temple by the military. Forty men were detained in Inndin coast by police of the Inndin camp, and another 11 were arrested by the Hlun Htaine and are now being detained by them. Twenty Six more were reported as arrested on the coast of Kodankauk (Dumsay) by Hlun Htaine and Immigration officials are delivered 8 Bengali nationals were sent to the Maungdaw police station. 

On October 29th Seven bodies were found on the coast of Thayay Konedan (Kunna Fara) and one Rohingya man was found dead near the Thawin Chaung stream with his throat slit. Rohingya frequently attempt to flee from Myanmar and Bangladesh to find safe haven in Malaysia, and frequently the boats are too small or poorly made resulting in the sinking of the overcrowded vessels.

MYARF contributed in reporting.