A boat carrying 150 Rohingyas fleeing a cyclone has sunk

Numerous boats carrying about 100 Muslim Rohingyas had capsized off the coast of Western Myanmar when they were trying to avoid an approaching cyclone named Mahasen, said news report from AP.

Of the passengers, only 42 have survived the incident. Eight bodies were found and more than 50 others were believed to have perished in the sea. These Rohingyas who were staying in camps in Rakhine state were forced to leave the area after sectarian violence erupted.

According to James Munn who works at the U.N. office, last Monday 5 boats were seen leaving the Pauktaw Township. All the boats capsized when one of the boats towing the 4 others hit a rock, the report said.

Original source: http://www.betweenonline.com/2013/05/14/a-boat-carrying-150-rohingyas-fleeing-a-cyclone-has-sunk/