BANGKOK – The death toll from the migrant boat that capsized near the Thailand-Malaysia border has risen to 11, according to international news agencies.
Reports said that around 70 people, including migrants, were on board the ill-fated boat. So far, 11 bodies have been recovered, while 13 individuals have been rescued alive.
Thai authorities retrieved four bodies, including two children, while the Malaysian Maritime Agency recovered seven. A joint search and rescue operation by Thai and Malaysian officials is continuing to locate the remaining missing passengers.
Meanwhile, another vessel carrying around 230 passengers has been reported missing, and efforts are underway to trace it.
Last month, a tragic boat capsizing incident off the coast of Sirte, Libya, claimed the lives of 18 people, with 90 others rescued, including 12 Pakistani nationals.
The incident took place just hours after the wooden boat set sail, with rough seas causing it to capsize.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that the boat, carrying migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean, was overwhelmed by waves.
Among the survivors are 29 Sudanese men, one Sudanese woman, one child, 18 Bangladeshi men, and 3 Somali nationals. The tragedy had been described by the IOM as another grim event on what is considered the “most dangerous route in the Mediterranean.”
According to IOM, 1,046 people have either died or gone missing this year alone on this route, with 527 fatalities occurring near the Libyan coast.
IOM officials stated that they are working alongside local authorities to provide medical aid and essential services to those rescued.
