18 rescued, 13 missing after Rohingya boat capsizes off Teknaf coast

At least 18 Rohingyas were rescued and 13 others remain missing after a boat carrying people fleeing conflict in Myanmar's Rakhine State capsized off the coast of Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf of Cox's Bazar.

The incident took place around 8:00am in the Bay of Bengal near the Shah Porir Dwip western jetty on Friday morning (July 31).

Shortly after the incident, local fishermen rescued the survivors and later handed them over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

According to local sources, the group was attempting to enter Bangladesh by sea amid the deteriorating security situation in Myanmar's Rakhine State. As the boat approached the Shah Porir Dwip coastline, it was caught in strong currents and rough waves before overturning. Four boatmen from the Bangladeshi side had reportedly gone to assist in transporting the passengers.

Acting chairman of Sabrang Union Parishad, Abdul Mannan, said local fishermen immediately joined rescue efforts after learning of the accident.

"They were trying to cross into Bangladesh due to the conflict across the border. Local fishermen managed to rescue 18 people alive before handing them over to the BGB," he said.

Fisherman Md Ismail, who participated in the rescue operation, said the boat was carrying 31 people. While 18 survivors were pulled from the water, 13 others, including the boatmen, remain unaccounted for.

He added that none of the rescued individuals were women or children.

A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said preliminary information suggests that some of the rescued individuals had previously lived in Rohingya camps in Bangladesh before crossing into Myanmar to fight alongside the Arakan Army. They were reportedly attempting to return to Bangladesh amid the latest escalation in Rakhine.

Authorities, however, said the claim is still under verification.

Commander of Teknaf-2 BGB, Lt Col Hanifur Rahman Bhuiyan, confirmed that the rescued individuals are currently in BGB custody.

"We have rescued 18 people following the boat capsize near Shah Porir Dwip. Their identities and the circumstances surrounding their arrival are being verified. Further details will be shared after the investigation," he said.

The incident comes as Bangladesh continues to host around 1.25 million Rohingya refugees in 33 camps across Ukhiya and Teknaf. The majority fled Myanmar following the military crackdown in August 2017, while sporadic cross-border movements have continued amid renewed armed conflict in Rakhine State.