KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities have recovered at least seven bodies after a boat carrying migrants capsized near the Thai border, a maritime agency official said on Sunday.
Officials believe the boat was carrying undocumented migrants who departed from Myanmar, part of a group of at least 300 people that had split between several vessels.
The boat that capsized near Thailand’s Tarutao Island and just north of Malaysia’s island resort of Langkawi was carrying some 90 people, Kedah state police chief Adzli Abu Shah told Malaysian media.
Romli Mustafa, director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in the northern states of Kedah and Perlis, said in a statement that three survivors were found on Sunday in the waters around Langkawi as well as six bodies, taking the overall death toll to seven.
At least 13 people have been rescued alive.
Romli said the bodies recovered Sunday were of a girl and five women, without disclosing their nationality or ethnicity.
A body found on Saturday is believed to be of a woman from Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya minority, Adzli told the Bernama national news agency.
The search and rescue effort ended for the day and will resume on Monday, Romli added, saying it was possible more survivors or victims could be found at sea.
The boat likely went down three days ago, according to the state police chief.
Two other vessels, believed to be carrying some of the group of 300 migrants who had departed from Myanmar, have also been reported missing, Adzli was quoted as saying by the Free Malaysia Today news website.
He said preliminary investigations showed that the group boarded a large vessel that carried them into waters close to Malaysia.
“As they neared the border they were instructed to transfer onto three smaller boats, each carrying around 100 people,” he told Bernama.
“We have requested the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the Marine Police to launch search and rescue operations and to look for the other missing boats,” Adzli said, quoted by the New Straits Times.
The Malaysian police force did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment.
Relatively affluent Malaysia is home to millions of migrants from poorer parts of Asia, many of them undocumented, working in industries including construction and agriculture.
But the crossings, facilitated by human trafficking syndicates, are often hazardous, leading to boats capsizing.
“Cross-border syndicates are now increasingly active in exploiting migrants by making them victims of human trafficking using high-risk sea routes,” Romli said.
Syndicates charge up to $3,500 per person for passage into the country, Malaysian media said.
In one of the worst months, in December 2021, more than 20 migrants drowned in several incidents off the Malaysian coast.
Migrant shipwreck off Malaysia kills at least seven
https://arab.news/pwuyc
Migrant shipwreck off Malaysia kills at least seven
- Boat that capsized near Thailand’s Tarutao Island and just north of Malaysia’s island resort of Langkawi was carrying some 90 people
Indonesia becomes first Asian country to ban elephant rides
- Elephant-ride ban is nationwide, including in popular holiday destination of Bali
- Animal rights group urges officials in Thailand, Nepal, India to follow Indonesia
JAKARTA: Indonesia has banned elephant rides, becoming the first Asian nation to outlaw the popular tourist activity on animal welfare grounds.
Indonesia, home to the critically endangered Sumatran elephant and the endangered Bornean elephant, first announced the nationwide ban in December, with authorities gradually monitoring compliance since the start of this year.
The move followed widespread calls to ban elephant rides, with many Indonesians now using social media to alert authorities on sites still offering such activities especially in Bali, the country’s most popular holiday island.
All of Bali’s conservation sites, including Bali Zoo and Mason Elephant Park & Lodge, have officially banned elephant rides by the end of January, according to the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency.
“Based on our most recent monitoring, all five of the conservation sites in Bali have complied and are no longer offering elephant rides for visitors,” Ratna Hendratmoko, who heads the agency, told Arab News on Tuesday.
Elephant rides were a popular tourist attraction in Bali, which last year welcomed nearly 7 million foreign visitors.
“There was demand from visitors, tourists, who are enthusiastic and attracted to elephant rides, even if it’s just for 10 to 15 minutes.
“But maybe for them, it’s an opportunity to show off on social media, showing that they’re doing something that they think it’s cool, something that not many others can do,” Hendratmoko said.
“I’m thankful to online friends who have been raising their concerns and reminding us to continue our monitoring. We are giving our best to do our job.”
Indonesian authorities are urging conservation sites to prioritize animal welfare, offer educational activities for visitors and shift to “innovative and non-exploitative” attractions, such as wildlife observation without direct physical contact.
In November, an investigation by the rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, showed that elephants in Bali are routinely chained and beaten with sharp bullhooks to force them to obey for tourist rides.
The action that followed “puts Indonesia at the forefront of elephant welfare,” and makes it “the first country in Asia to ban elephant rides nationwide,” said Jason Baker, president of PETA in Asia.
The ban is “a huge step toward improving the treatment of elephants,” PETA Asia said in a statement to Arab News.
“We are optimistic that the new guidelines will provide a framework for phasing out all harmful practices in the future.”
Elephant camps are also major tourist attractions in other parts of Asia, with Thailand being their largest promoter.
“We urge the Thai government and other countries, including Nepal, Laos and India to follow Indonesia’s lead,” PETA said.
