As a result of search operations, 13 survivors and 11 bodies were found, including two children. Authorities in both countries are also searching for another vessel that may have been carrying about 230 migrants.
The majority of the migrants are members of the Rohingya community from Myanmar, an ethnic group residing in Rakhine and practicing Sunni Islam. In 2012, their population in Myanmar was around 800,000, but many are forced to live in refugee camps in Bangladesh and in border areas of Thailand. The Myanmar government does not recognize the self-designation of this ethnic group, referring to them as Bengalis. Since gaining independence in 1948, Rakhine has seen a rise in separatist sentiments based on religion, and local forces periodically conduct operations to suppress protests.
