The Azerbaijan State News Agency

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19 dead as Rohingya boat sinks off Bangladesh coast

31.08.2017 [16:42]
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Baku, August 31, AZERTAC

At least 19 people have been killed after a boat carrying Rohingya people capsized off Bangladesh's southeastern coast in the wee hours of Thursday, according to local media, Anadolu Agency reports.

The incident took place when refugees were trying to reach Cox's Bazar district in southeast Bangladesh to escape ongoing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state, a Dhaka-based newspaper the Daily Star reported.

Citing Main Uddin Khan, in-charge of Tekhanf police station, the daily reported that bodies of 10 children and nine women were discovered, but their identities are yet to be ascertained.

It was unclear how many people were on board but a local source told Anadolu Agency that around 25 people had been rescued and 7 to 9 people were still missing.

"Some other boats carrying hundreds of Rohingyas arrived in Bangladesh coast on Wednesday night," said the source.