Bangladesh Searches for Survivors of Boat Accident

2 November 2012

Bangladesh has ordered “a massive search” after a motorboat packed with about 135 illegal immigrants capsized in the Bay of Bengal close to the country’s border with Burma, according to a report by the Xinhua news agency. Around 122 people went missing when the overloaded boat sank on Sunday while transferring its passengers to a larger ship bound for Malaysia. It is believed that many of those aboard were Rohingya Muslims fleeing from violence in Burma’s Arakan State. The incident came to light on Tuesday, when six survivors rescued by fishermen informed Bangladeshi authorities.