SEARCH and rescue operations continue for missing Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants after a boat capsized near the Malaysia-Thailand maritime boundary, with authorities investigating potential Malaysian involvement in the syndicate behind the deadly voyage.
The teams have expanded coverage to 272.78 square nautical miles on the third day of efforts to locate undocumented migrants still missing after a boat capsized near the Malaysia-Thailand maritime boundary.
So far, 21 bodies have been recovered — 12 in Malaysian waters and nine in Thailand — while all 13 survivors were located on the Malaysian side.
A spokesman for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said the operation resumed at 7.30am today, supported by five vessels and an aircraft, alongside assets from the marine police, Royal Malaysian Navy, Fisheries Department, Fire and Rescue Department, and Civil Defence Force.
Authorities believe the migrants, primarily Rohingya from Myanmar and Bangladesh, departed Buthidaung nearly a month ago on a “mother vessel” carrying around 300 people.
As the vessel approached the Malaysia-Thailand maritime boundary, it split into three boats. One smaller boat, carrying about 70 people, is believed to have capsized, leaving many unaccounted for.
Kedah police chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said the case bore the hallmarks of a structured trafficking network. Survivors reported paying approximately 400,000 taka (around RM13,500) each to secure passage, having sold property, livestock, and land to fund the journey.
“They told us they had sold their livestock, property and land back home to raise the amount because they were seeking a new and better life,” New Straits Times reported Adzli saying, adding that investigators are determining whether the migrants were fleeing persecution or had other reasons for making the journey.
Langkawi police chief Assistant Commissioner Khairul Azhar Nurudin highlighted Malaysian links to the syndicate, noting that mobile phone numbers retrieved from survivors indicated contact with agents in Myanmar and Malaysia.
“Our investigation will now focus on verifying, tracing and establishing their roles,” he said. Two Bangladeshi survivors are being scrutinised after inconsistencies in their accounts suggested they may have collaborated with traffickers.
The small boat reportedly sank approximately 90 minutes after separating from the “mother boat.” Khairul said,
“The small boat used in the incident was in poor condition and severely overloaded. These have been identified as the main cause of its capsize.
“About an hour and a half after separating, the vessel began to break apart and sank. There was no rain at the time, just overcast skies and moderately rough seas.”
First Admiral (Maritime) Romli Mustafa of the MMEA noted traffickers often time their movements to coincide with favourable weather, allowing vessels to enter Malaysian waters undetected. No debris from the sunken vessel has yet been recovered.
All survivors are currently detained and investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act for not possessing valid documents.
The tragedy occurs amid the ongoing Rohingya humanitarian crisis, where persecution and conflict in Myanmar continue to force families onto overcrowded, unseaworthy vessels in search of refuge. The United Nations has described the Rohingya as among the “most persecuted people in the world.”
On Monday, Minister of Home Affairs Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stressed that while Malaysia does not permit undocumented migrants to enter its waters, saving lives remains the priority in maritime accidents.
“First, we do not allow them to enter the country, but if an incident like this occurs, our work is to rescue first. It does not mean we are allowing them in. Leaving them to die in a shipwreck would be cruel,” he said.
In parallel, the Home Ministry is drafting the 2026–2030 National Action Plan Against Human Trafficking (NAPTIP 4.0) to enhance victim identification, strengthen investigative and prosecutorial capacity, expand interpreter access, and improve coordination between agencies and NGOs to create a more responsive national framework for trafficking emergencies. - November 11, 2025
