AT LEAST seven peopledied after a boat carrying undocumented migrants capsized near the maritime border between Thailand and Malaysia, Malaysian authorities confirmed on Monday.

The vessel, believed to be transporting Rohingya refugees and other migrants, sank close to the popular island of Langkawi, prompting an urgent multi-agency search and rescue operation.

A report by BBC stated that 13 survivors have so far been rescued—11 of them Rohingya and two Bangladeshi nationals.

According to the Malaysian Coast Guard, the number of missing people remains unclear, with early reports suggesting that the vessel was carrying around 70 passengers when it overturned.

Authorities say the sinking was part of a much larger migration attempt involving roughly 300 people. The group reportedly departed Myanmar’s Rakhine state two weeks earlier aboard a larger vessel before splitting into several smaller boats in an effort to evade maritime patrols.

The whereabouts and condition of the other boats remain uncertain.

Search and rescue teams expanded their search area from 170 to 256 square nautical miles as operations entered their second day.

Malaysia’s maritime agency said the operation is expected to continue for at least seven days, depending on sea conditions and updated intelligence. Strong tides and limited visibility have slowed recovery efforts.(Ma. Victoria Diana, USJ-R Comm Intern)

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