KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian coast guard foiled an attempt by 25 undocumented Myanmar migrants to enter the country illegally off the northern state of Penang early Friday. Maritime authorities deployed a patrol boat after receiving information about a fiberglass boat speeding toward a small town on the Penang coastline.

The patrol boat gave chase, but the vessel escaped after dropping off all 25 individuals along the coast, according to Penang maritime chief Muhammad Suffi Mohamad Ramli. The migrants, aged between 12 and 42, had no identification documents and were detained for further investigation.

The group was believed to have intended to continue the journey inland using a lorry suspected to be waiting nearby. Authorities have increased maritime enforcement along the northern coastline in response to recurring arrivals.

Malaysia, a majority Muslim country, has been a destination for Rohingya, a Muslim minority who have fled violence and discrimination. Smuggling syndicates have aided migrants in undertaking dangerous sea journeys to reach the country.

On April 9, at least 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, were feared dead or missing after a boat that left Bangladesh capsized in the Andaman Sea on the way to Malaysia. Nine people were rescued from the vessel.

In 2025, more than 6,500 Rohingya attempted sea crossings, with one in seven reported missing or dead. Nearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal that year, making it the deadliest year on record for maritime movements in south and Southeast Asia.

More than 2,800 Rohingya undertook dangerous sea journeys between January and April 13, 2026. Over half of those undertaking such crossings in recent years were women and children. More than 1.3 million Rohingya refugees and asylum-seekers remain displaced across the region, including 1.2 million in Bangladesh.