At least 12 dead after boat carrying Rohingya refugees capsizes

At least 12 Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar, including five children, died Monday when the boat they were in capsized off the shore of Bangladesh.

There were up to 35 people on the overcrowded boat when it capsized, police said. Eight refugees survived, and it's unclear how many have been reported missing. A search and rescue mission is underway.

Since Aug. 25, when the military in Myanmar started what it called "clearance operations" following an attack by insurgents that left several police officers and border guards dead, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have left Myanmar. Those who have made it to Bangladesh said the Myanmar military is burning down their villages in Rakhine state, The Associated Press reports, and the United Nations has accused the Myanmar military of "ethnic cleansing." Since August, at least 155 Rohingya have died in boat accidents while attempting to get to Bangladesh.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up