Malaysia Ends Search After Deadly Migrant Boat Tragedy

Malaysia Ends Search After Deadly Migrant Boat Tragedy
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Malaysia has officially concluded its search for dozens of migrants missing after their boat capsized off the Thai-Malaysian coast earlier this month, Arab News reported. Authorities said the operation ended on Monday evening, 11 days after the vessel sank near Thailand’s Tarutao island on November 6 while carrying around 70 undocumented migrants, most of them Rohingya fleeing Myanmar. Fourteen people were rescued, while 36 bodies have been recovered by Malaysian and Thai teams.

Zainudin Mohd Zuki, deputy operations director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for Kedah and Perlis, said the decision followed a review of search conditions, resource deployment and the duration of the mission. He added that the operation could be restarted if new information emerges. Malaysian crews retrieved 29 bodies, while Thai authorities found seven others.

MMEA director Romli Mustafa confirmed that the search covered roughly 1,750 square nautical miles — an area about eight times the size of Singapore — using at least 19 vessels and more than 300 personnel. The 14 survivors, mainly Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals, were found in Malaysian waters in the days following the disaster.

Officials believe the passengers were part of a larger group of about 300 people who departed Myanmar roughly two weeks ago aboard multiple boats. Malaysian police have reported that a second vessel from the same group remains missing. Malaysia, a comparatively wealthy destination in the region, hosts millions of foreign workers, many of whom arrive through irregular routes.

Such sea crossings are frequently organized by human traffickers and often result in overcrowded, unsafe voyages. The Rohingya have long faced persecution in Myanmar, prompting thousands to attempt dangerous sea journeys each year. According to UN agencies, more than 5,300 Rohingya fled by sea between January and early November, with over 600 reported dead or missing during that period.