Myanmar asylum seekers reach Malaysia, 1 dead

Published on Dec 31, 2012
2:18 PM

KUALA LUMPUR (AP) - Police say about 450 asylum seekers from Myanmar have landed in Malaysia after a dangerous boat journey that left one dead.

They are one of the largest groups of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims who have reached Malaysia this year after leaving their violence-scarred hometowns.

A police official on Malaysia's northern Langkawi island says the asylum seekers arrived on Sunday after a roughly two-week journey on a wooden boat.

One man drowned while trying to swim ashore, while the others are in police custody.

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