Overview
- Malaysian and Thai police, coastguard and navy units are sweeping more than 900 square kilometres between Langkawi and Ko Tarutao by ships and aircraft.
- Authorities say the operation could run about a week as poor weather hampers efforts, and they warn survival beyond 24 hours without life jackets is unlikely.
- During a transfer from a mothership carrying about 300 people, a smaller boat with roughly 70 passengers overturned near the maritime boundary, leaving around 230 others unlocated.
- Regional coordinator Romli Mustafa of the Malaysian coastguard said teams have expanded the search zone and will continue operations through the week.
- The 13 survivors have been detained by Malaysian authorities, and Thai teams found refugee IDs on two recovered children linking them to camps in Bangladesh; UNHCR reports over 5,100 Rohingya sea departures this year with nearly 600 dead or missing.