Malaysia Expels Two Myanmar Vessels Carrying Hundreds of Undocumented Migrants
Malaysia’s maritime authority has expelled two vessels from Myanmar, with an estimated 300 undocumented migrants on board. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the vessels were located approximately two nautical miles (3.7 kilometers) west of Langkawi‘s northern resort on Friday, January 3.
Director-General of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Mohd Rosli Abdullah, stated that the agency provided aid, including food and clean water, before escorting the vessels back to Malaysia’s territorial waters. He also noted that the MMEA is working with Thai authorities to gather more information about the vessels’ movements.
Earlier that day, Malaysian police arrested nearly 200 Rohingya migrants from Myanmar after their boat grounded in Langkawi. Many Rohingya, who predominantly practice Buddhism, have fled persecution in their homeland, with some seeking refuge in Malaysia or Bangladesh.
The treacherous ocean journey to Malaysia often takes months. Many migrants, frighting detection, slip across the border with Thailand. Those apprehended are frequently sent to overcrowded and unsanitary detention centers.
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