The tragedy of recurring Rohingya refugee deaths

A fishing trawler carrying around 250–280 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, capsized in the Andaman Sea in mid-April 2026 while attempting to reach Malaysia. According to UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), around 250 people are feared dead or missing, based on preliminary estimates. The vessel departed from Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, and was reportedly overcrowded and overwhelmed by rough seas.

Only around 9–10 survivors were rescued. Survivors reported that the boat travelled for about four days before capsizing, with some people floating for over 36 hours before being rescued by passing vessels.