At a press conference on the island of Langkawi, close to the search area, Malaysia’s maritime agency said air assets were being deployed by both Thailand and Malaysia to search for survivors.
“We have got very good … relations with the Thai agency, so we have got good communication and exchanges of information,” said Romli Mustafa, director of the maritime agency in Malaysia’s Kedah and Perlis.
“It will be easier for us and our sea assets,” he said of the use of air assets to support the search by boats, adding that the search operation could last seven days.
Romli said information received by the agency indicated a boat had departed Myanmar, near the border with Bangladesh, about two weeks ago, but some passengers had moved onto another vessel on Thursday.
Of the 13 survivors, 11 were Rohingya and two were from Bangladesh, he added.
PERILOUS VOYAGES
More than 5,100 Rohingya have taken boats to leave Myanmar and Bangladesh between January and early November this year, with nearly 600 people reported dead or missing, according to data from the United Nations Refugee Agency.
An official from Thailand’s maritime enforcement command centre told Reuters the four dead included two children, aged 12 and over 10, and two adults.
“Two of the women were found carrying refugee cards identifying them as Rohingya,” the official said.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/rohingya-migrant-boat-sinks-dead-search-rescue-malaysia-thailand-5457056
