The remains of 23 Rohingyas who were in the process of escaping Myanmar's Rakhine state have been discovered subsequent to the sinking of their boat. Presently, thirty individuals are unaccounted for, while eight survivors have been identified in the aftermath of the incident.

As per the survivors' accounts, they were en route to Malaysia and their vessel, carrying over 50 passengers, capsized and was deserted by its crew on Sunday.

This hazardous maritime journey to Malaysia or Indonesia is undertaken annually by numerous Rohingyas seeking refuge from persecution in Myanmar and the crowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.

The casualties from this week's tragedy encompass 13 women and 10 men, all belonging to the Rohingya Muslim community, according to information relayed to BBC Burmese by a rescue team.

Rohingya Muslims, a minority ethnic group within Myanmar's predominantly Buddhist population, have faced persecution that prompted many to flee to Bangladesh in 2017 to escape a brutal campaign initiated by the Burmese military. Even those who remained in Myanmar have been attempting to escape since the military coup in 2021.

The survivors of this week's shipwreck recount encountering a massive wave near Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state. Subsequently, they report that the human smugglers, who had received approximately $4,000 (£3,153) per person for the journey to Malaysia, abandoned the vessel. The remains of the deceased individuals have either been retrieved by other boats or have washed ashore on the beach.
The long journey across the Andaman Sea in overcrowded fishing boats is always dangerous, but especially at this time of the year, at the peak of the monsoon storm season.

Most Rohingyas attempt to cross between the months of October and May.

They are willing to take the risk - and often sell their only assets, such as land, to fund the trip - because of the unrelentingly grim conditions in which they are forced to live, either as refugees in appallingly crowded camps over the border in Bangladesh, or subjected to discrimination and restrictions on their movement in Myanmar.

Oh, what a tragedy, condolence to those who lost their lost ones may God give them the fortitude to cope with the loss.

Sad