17 Rohingya dead by boat sinking in Sittwe near Bay of Bengal.
A Rohingya boat carrying 55 people trying to leave for Malaysia capsized in the Sea of Bengal near Sittwe, Rakhine State on August 7 due to strong winds, and the death toll has reached 17.
The search for 30 more missing people is still ongoing, Kobeyala of the Sittwe City-based Golden Love Foundation told RFA.
“To date, we have received 17 bodies. The bodies were sent to Sittwe Hospital. We have been searching for more missing people since this morning.”
There were 55 people on that boat, and they started to leave for Malaysia from Rakhine State’s Rataytaung Township on August 7th.
On the same day, two women’s bodies were found floating alive by the boat accident and eight men were found on the sea shore of Basara Village in Sittwe. After that, the remaining bodies were taken to Beda Village, sand creek Locals said that it was found on beaches such as dolphins.
The eight who survived were taken to Sittwe City Police Station by the police and the army.
The Rohingyas told RFA that there are no job opportunities in Rakhine and it is difficult for them to make a living, so they are leaving for Malaysia.
On August 9, 2023, when the Rohingya warship that sank in Sittwe Sea was found. (Photo: Citizen Journalist)
