26 Rohingyas found alive on Malaysian islet

Twenty-six Rohingya refugees, who had been feared drowned while trying to swim ashore on the Malaysian resort island of Langkawi, were found alive hiding in the bushes on a nearby islet, a senior coastguard official said yesterday.

Malaysia does not recognise refugee status, but the Muslim-majority country is a favoured destination for Rohingyas seeking a better life after escaping a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar and, more recently, refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Late on Saturday, one Rohingya swam ashore from a small boat off Langkawi's west coast. Officials had feared that the rest of the group had drowned while trying to reach the beach, but they were later discovered on an islet just off the coast.

Authorities have detained the refugees. Two more Rohingya migrants have also been arrested for suspected trafficking in connection with the people found.

The refugees were believed to have transferred to a small boat to sneak into Malaysia, having travelled on a "motherboat" carrying hundreds of Rohingya from Bangladesh, the official said.