Two UN agencies, the UNHCR and IOM, have expressed “deep sadness” over media reports that at least 250 undocumented migrants, including Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, have remained missing in the Bay of Bengal since 9 April following a boat disaster.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard has confirmed the boat capsize incident near Andaman island on 9 April, but no official statement has confirmed the number of missing people.

The Coast Guard rescued nine of the boat’s passengers shortly after the disaster, it said in a press release, and the survivors informed journalists about the 250 missing individuals.

Six of the rescued survivors were traffickers and they were sent to jail by a court on Sunday, hours after a case was filed in this regard.

Among the total nine survivors, six were Bangladeshis and the rest were Rohingyas.

The Malaysia-bound Bangladesh flag-bearing vessel, Tanjina Sultana, left St Martin’s Island before 4 April. The trawler capsized near the Andaman island due to rough weather.

A Rohingya survivor said it was “very difficult” for him to stay stable after witnessing “so many number of deaths.”

Another Rohingya survivor Rafiqul said the trawler set sail with around 280 undocumented migrants, 150 of whom were Rohingyas. There were also 21 Rohingya women and four children, he added.

The Coast Guard handed over the survivors to the Teknaf Model Police Station, where officers initially quizzed the migrants.

Officer-in-Charge Saiful Islam said the survivors are failing to give specific information on how they got on the trawler and how they could survive the capsize. Owing to their lukewarm responses, the number of missing remains uncertain, the officer added.

UN statement

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and IOM, the International Organization for Migration, on Tuesday said they were deeply saddened by reports of approximately 250 people going missing in the sea. The trawler reportedly sank due to heavy winds, rough seas, and overcrowding, the two organisations said in a joint press statement.

The remainder of the statement is as follows:

“This tragic incident reflects the dire consequences of protracted displacement and the absence of durable solutions for the Rohingya. Ongoing violence in Rakhine state has faded hopes of safe return in the near future, while shrinking humanitarian assistance, challenging living conditions in refugee camps, and limited access to education and livelihoods are pushing refugees to take such dangerous sea journeys in search of safety and opportunity. The promise of better wages abroad, often coupled with misinformation spread by smuggling networks, drives individuals, Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals, to take significant risks. These factors create conditions in which smugglers and traffickers can exploit vulnerabilities, placing lives at grave risk. The Andaman Sea continues to claim the lives of people undertaking these perilous journeys.

“We urgently call on the international community to step up solidarity and sustain funding to support lifesaving assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh as well as support for the Bangladeshi host communities. As Bangladesh marks its new year, this tragedy is a reminder of the efforts urgently needed to address the root causes of displacement in Myanmar and create conditions that would allow Rohingya refugees to return home voluntarily, safely and with dignity.

“Without collective action, more lives will be lost at sea and on desperate journeys through deadly routes.”