12 Rohingya Migrants Killed in Bangladesh Boat Capsize

Dhaka, Oct 9: At least 12 Rohingya migrants were killed after a boat carrying them capsized off the coast of Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district, police said on Monday.

"The bodies of 10 children, one man and one woman have been recovered," Xinhua news agency quoted a senior police official as saying.

He said the accident took place late Sunday night.

Law enforcement officials recovered the bodies which were floating in the Bay of Bengal near Shah Porir Island of the district which is now home to nearly 1 million Rohingya migrants from Myanmar, the official added.

Around 11 migrants were rescued and the official said the toll might increase as many were reported missing.

A search operation is underway.

The bodies of 132 Rohingya migrants and a Bangladeshi boat man were recovered from the Naf River since August 29 in at least 25 boat accidents.

Over half a million Rohingya people have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar's Rakhine state amid a fresh wave of violence in the region since August 25. (IANS)