Death toll in Rohingya boat capsize rises to 21

The death toll from the Feb 11 trawler capsize in the Bay of Bengal has risen to 21 as Bangladesh Coastguard recovered three more bodies on Monday.

“The bodies were found floating on the beach of Chhera Dwip and Pashchim Para on the Saint Martin's Island during a rescue effort from Sunday to Monday,” said Lieutenant Commander Nayem ul Haque, chief of the Coastguard’s St Martin’s station.

The victims, aged between 20 and 30, could not be identified immediately.

As many as 71 people were rescued alive after the trawler, carrying 138 people, sank 10 kilometres northwest of the island on Tuesday.

A large group of Rohingya refugees boarded two fishing trawlers from Teknaf’s Noakhalipara on Tuesday to illegally travel to Malaysia, according to the Coastguard and local administration officials.

Later, one of the trawlers started to sink after an accident. Fishermen on nearby boats informed the coastguards after witnessing the incident.

“Local fishermen spotted two bodies on a beach at Pashcim Para around 9am on Monday. We later recovered the bodies from the scene,” said Coastguard officer Nayem.

“Another body was recovered on a beach of Chhera Dwip on Sunday night.”

“Earlier, the body of a woman was recovered from the same area on Friday. At least 44 people are still missing,” said Nayem.

The bodies have been sent to the Teknaf Police Station.