Rohingya boat sinks off Myanmar’s Rakhine state; 45 missing
DHAKA, Bangladesh – A boat with Rohingya people on board, reportedly en route to Malaysia, has sunk in the Bay of Bengal near Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
According to media reports, 45 of the 55 people on board are still missing.
The government-backed Rakhine Daily News reported that the boat carrying Rohingya had left Rathedaung town for Malaysia.
The boat sank near the city of Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State.
Eight men were found alive on a beach near Basara village in the city.
According to media reports, the boat sank due to heavy rains that caused high tides in the sea.
More than 740,000 Rohingya fled Rakhine after the military cracked down on the ethnic group for more than five years.
Of the more than 600,000 who remained in Rakhine, about 125,000 are living in IDP camps in the state.
Many Rohingya living in Rakhine State often flee by boat across the Bay of Bengal to Malaysia due to economic hardships and discrimination.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
