Rohingya boat toll rises to 23 as more bodies found
Team Udayavani, Oct 10, 2017, 12:16 PM IST
Cox’s Bazar: The bodies of another nine refugees have washed up in Bangladesh after an overloaded boat carrying scores of desperate Rohingya sank in rough seas, police said today, taking the confirmed death toll to 23. Eight bodies were found on the banks of the Naf river, which separates Bangladesh from Myanmar, and another was found miles away on the island of St Martin.
More than half of the victims in the latest disaster were children, said Mian Uddin, police chief for the border town of Teknaf. He could not say how many people were missing, but survivors and officials have said the boat was carrying between 60 and 100 people. So far 15 have been rescued by Bangladesh coast guards and border guards, though authorities say some may have swum to Myanmar.
More than half a million refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since August 25, fleeing a military crackdown that followed attacks by Rohingya militants on police posts. The exodus had slowed, but in recent days government officials say there have been thousands of fresh arrivals, most coming from parts of Myanmar’s Rakhine state that are far from the border with Bangladesh.
Many cross the Naf river at its narrowest point, but others are attempting to make the journey by sea, boarding often rickety fishing trawlers that are wholly inadequate for the rough waters in the Bay of Bengal. Nearly 160 have drowned. Among the latest influx were two young boys aged two and three, who died due to hunger and exhaustion as they entered Bangladesh.
“Their parents told us that they died due to starvation. They walked seven days and did not have anything to eat,” Sultan Ahmed, a local councillor at Anjumanpara border village, told AFP.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
‘Send Sheikh Hasina back to country’: Bangladesh writes to India
India & Kuwait elevate ties to strategic level; ink defence pact after PM Modi meets top Kuwaiti leaders
In Kuwait, PM Modi meets yoga practitioner, other influencers from Gulf country
PM Modi receives Kuwait’s highest honour
PM Modi in Kuwait meets translator, publisher of Mahabharata, Ramayana in Arabic
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal passes away
Passenger gets back misplaced bag containing valuables worth Rs 20 lakh at Mangaluru airport
Police ‘killed’ Dalit man, alleges Rahul in Parbhani; CM Fadnavis says visit politically motivated
Karnataka govt approves 9 industrial projects worth Rs 9,823 Cr
Vinod Kambli admitted to hospital due to deterioration in health
Thanks for visiting Udayavani
You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.