Malaysia detains boatload of 202 suspected Rohingya Muslims
- The vessel was found adrift on the holiday island of Langkawi. The group included 152 men, 45 women and 5 children
- Malaysia is a favoured destination for the migrants fleeing squalid conditions at refugee camps in Bangladesh
The boat was found adrift around one nautical mile from a luxury beachside resort on the holiday island of Langkawi, off the west coast of the Malaysian peninsula, the Malaysian maritime enforcement agency said in a statement.
The group included 152 men, 45 women and 5 children. All 202 have been detained at the coastguard’s Kedah state headquarters.
In Indonesia, Bangladesh and Thailand, refugees live in fear of the coronavirus
The group will be handed over to immigration authorities for attempting to enter the country illegally, the coastguard said.
The agency said it would also investigate complaints from the migrants about three alleged members of a migrant smuggling syndicate who escaped from the boat while out at sea.
Hundreds have been stopped by Bangladeshi coastguard officials trying to escape from one of the world’s largest migrant camps.
In February, at least 15 Rohingya refugees died when a vessel carrying about 130 people capsized in the Bay of Bengal while trying to reach Malaysia.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
