An overcrowded boat carrying about 138 Rohingya refugees from Bangladeshi camps sank Tuesday in the Bay of Bengal, leaving at least 15 confirmed dead, mostly women, Bangladeshi officials said.
The coast guard, navy divers and other rescuers recovered the bodies after the wooden boat capsized off St. Martin's Island, the top elected official on the island said.
Noor Ahmed said by phone from the scene that 71 refugees on the boat survived. It was unclear how many remained missing.
The passengers were enticed by traffickers to board the boat from various points as it headed for Malaysia, he said.
