Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized

MEULABOH, Indonesia (AP) — Huddled on board the boat, the 12-year-old girl quaked with fear.

The captain and crew who she says had tortured her and three other women and girls were not finished. And the punishment for disobedience, the men warned, would be death.

It was the third night that the girl and around 140 other ethnic Rohingya refugees had been trapped on the fishing boat off Indonesia’s coast. They had fled Bangladesh and their homeland of Myanmar in a bid to escape violence and terror, only to face the same at sea.

The 12-year-old — identified in this story only by the initial N, because she is a sexual assault survivor — tried to hide. She had already survived a night in the captain’s bedroom, where she says he and several crew members had beaten and sexually abused her.

Like most of the passengers, she had survived attacks by Myanmar’s military that forced her and her family to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. There, she had survived nearly seven years in violence-plagued refugee camps. And she had thus far survived this journey without her family, who hoped she’d make it to Malaysia, where she was promised as a child bride to a man she had never met.

The captain ordered more girls to join him and his crew in the bedroom.

“If you don’t come to us,” he shouted, “then we will capsize this boat!”

What happened next would force N and the other Rohingya on board into yet another battle for survival.

For many, this would be the battle they finally lost.

In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia’s province of Aceh. Another 67 passengers, including at least 28 children, were killed when the boat capsized, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized. This account, as told to The Associated Press in interviews with eight surviving passengers, provides the first insight into what happened.

N’s journey began in Bangladesh, where a series of boats ferried her and other Rohingya across the Bay of Bengal.

The bedlam began, the passengers say, when they were transferred to a cramped Indonesian vessel that was supposed to take them to Indonesia. From there, they would be smuggled into Malaysia.

The Indonesian captain and crew separated the men from the women and forced the men into the boat’s cargo holds. Anyone who protested was beaten, says Muhammed Amin.

The captain and crew — who warned they were armed, though no one saw a gun — forced N and four other women and girls into the captain’s bedroom.

One of the women slipped out, but N and the others were trapped. The assaults by the captain and five of his six crew lasted all night, N says.

When morning dawned, N was allowed out to use the toilet. She hid among the other women, but the other three girls were abused for a second night.

On the third night, the three girls emerged from the captain’s room, sobbing and speechless.

The captain and crew demanded fresh victims. The women refused.

The captain and crew had been drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana, the passengers say. The furious captain threatened to capsize the boat unless the women complied.

Soon after, Jannat Ullah says, he saw the captain push the steering wheel with his leg.

The vessel tilted violently, sending passengers tumbling. And then it smashed into a wave.

In the blackness of the water, people screamed for salvation, for God, for their children.

N battled her way onto the boat’s overturned hull. Once again, she had managed to survive. But the three girls who were abused alongside her had not.

Amin spotted the captain and three crew members swimming away.

In the morning, a small fishing boat arrived, and took six people to shore.

Meanwhile, worsening waves had destabilized the capsized boat, which overturned again, killing more people.

Rain spared passengers death by dehydration. But as another night passed, it was clear not everyone would survive. Rahena Begum’s 9-year-old daughter stopped breathing.

The passengers prayed, then slid the child's body into the sea.

Around 30 minutes later, Rahena says, the rescue ship finally arrived.

The bodies of 12 women and three children have since been recovered off Aceh, according to the UNHCR.

Although the fishing boat’s crew rescued the initial six people the morning of March 20, search vessels weren’t launched until that evening. Officials didn’t finish rescuing the passengers until midday on March 21.

Ibnu Harris Al Hussain, chief of Banda Aceh’s search and rescue agency, said the rescue operation began shortly after his agency learned about the boat.

“The most important thing is that we have ensured their safety when they were found,” Hussain wrote in a message to the AP.

On April 2, police announced they had arrested three crew members, plus a fourth man who was not on the boat. They were charged with people smuggling, which carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence. Police are searching for the remaining crew, including the captain, who fled to Malaysia, West Aceh Police Chief Andi Kirana told the AP.

Police are not considering murder charges, Kirana says, because they believe the capsize was an accident.

But N and the other passengers believe the disaster was a deliberate act of revenge by a sadistic captain and crew. And for that, N says, the punishment should fit the crime.

“They tortured us. They treated us like animals,” she says. “We want the government to treat them like animals.”

Kirana also said police are not considering rape charges, because they haven’t received reports of sexual assault. But N says police have never questioned her.

N hopes to make it to Malaysia and to the man who wants her as his wife.

Maybe then, she says, she will finally be free — though in reality, Rohingya child brides in Malaysia often become prisoners to abusive husbands.

For now, all she can do is fight to survive another day.

“I don't want to suffer anymore,” she says.

Gelineau reported from Sydney.

Rohingya women sleep in their tent at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. They were among 75 people rescued in March from atop the overturned hull of a boat, which capsized off the Indonesian coast. Dozens of other Rohingya refugees died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Rescuers recover the body of a Rohingya refugee from the waters off Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Saturday, March 23, 2024. The bodies of 12 women and three children were recovered following the capsize of a boat that was carrying around 140 Rohingya refugees, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Sixty-seven people were killed in the disaster. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Rescuers bury the body of a Rohingya refugee recovered from the sea in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Sunday, March 24, 2024. The bodies of 12 women and three children were recovered following the capsize of a boat that was carrying around 140 Rohingya refugees, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Sixty-seven people were killed in the disaster. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Rohingya refugees rest on the deck of a National Search and Rescue Agency ship, after being rescued from their capsized boat off West Aceh, Indonesia, on Thursday, March 21, 2024. The wooden fishing boat carried about 140 Rohingya refugees, but only 75 people were rescued. In interviews with The Associated Press, eight of the survivors described abuses on board the fishing boat. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Rohingya refugee Rahena Begum, right, and her 13-year-old son, Noor Shahed, pose for a photograph at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Thursday, April 4, 2024. They were among 75 people rescued in March from atop the overturned hull of a boat that capsized off Indonesia's coast. Dozens of others, including Rahena's 9-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son, died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Fatima Khatun, a Rohingya survivor of a capsized refugee boat, poses for a photograph inside her tent in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Fatima was among 75 people rescued in March from atop the overturned hull of the boat. Dozens of others, including Fatima's 8-year-old daughter, died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

N, a 12-year-old ethnic Rohingya refugee identified by The Associated Press with only an initial, because she is a sexual assault survivor, stands in front of her tent at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. N was among 75 people rescued from atop an overturned fishing boat off the coast of Indonesia in March. Dozens of other Rohingya refugees died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Samira, left, and her husband, Akram Ullah, both ethnic Rohingya refugees, pose for a photograph at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Thursday, April 4, 2024. They were among 75 people rescued in March from atop the overturned hull of a boat that capsized off Indonesia's coast. Dozens of other Rohingya refugees died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Bashir Ahmed, a Rohingya survivor of a capsized refugee boat, reads the Quran at his temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Bashir was among 75 people rescued from atop the overturned hull of the boat, which capsized off Indonesia's coast in March. Dozens of others died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Fatima Khatun, a Rohingya survivor of a capsized refugee boat, cleans her temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Fatima was among 75 people rescued in March from atop the overturned hull of the boat, which capsized off Indonesia's coast. Dozens of others, including Fatima's 8-year-old daughter, died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

N, a 12-year-old ethnic Rohingya refugee identified by The Associated Press with only an initial, because she is a sexual assault survivor, speaks during an interview at her temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. N described how the captain and crew of a fishing boat that eventually capsized off the Indonesian coast abused her and three others. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Umar Faruq, a 9-year-old ethnic Rohingya refugee who survived a boat capsize, arranges tamarind seeds in the shape of a heart at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Umar was among 75 people rescued in March from atop the overturned hull of the boat, which capsized off Indonesia's coast. Dozens of other Rohingya refugees, including at least 28 children, died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Samira, a Rohingya survivor of a capsized refugee boat, uses a mirror inside a tent at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. She was among 75 people rescued from atop the overturned hull of the boat, which capsized off Indonesia's coast in March. Dozens of other Rohingya refugees died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Rahena Begum, third from left, a survivor of a capsized refugee boat, sits with other ethnic Rohingya women at their temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Thursday, April 4, 2024. In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from atop the overturned hull of the boat. Dozens of other Rohingya refugees died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

N, a 12-year-old ethnic Rohingya refugee identified by The Associated Press with only an initial, because she is a sexual assault survivor, holds a coconut ahead of breaking her Ramadan fast at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. N was forced to leave behind her family when she fled Bangladesh on a boat packed with other Rohingya refugees. She hoped to make it to Malaysia, where she'd been promised as a child bride to a man she'd never met. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Rescuers carry the body of a Rohingya refugee recovered from the sea off Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Saturday, March 23, 2024. The bodies of 12 women and three children were recovered following the capsize of a boat that was carrying around 140 Rohingya refugees, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Sixty-seven people were killed in the disaster. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Fatima Khatun, a Rohingya survivor of a capsized refugee boat, cries as she calls her son in Bangladesh from a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Fatima was among 75 people rescued in March from atop the overturned hull of the boat. Dozens of others, including Fatima's 8-year-old daughter, died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Members of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency give instructions to Rohingya refugees rescued from a capsized fishing boat off West Aceh, Indonesia, on Thursday, March 21, 2024. The wooden fishing boat carried about 140 Rohingya refugees, but only 75 people were rescued. In interviews with The Associated Press, eight of the survivors described abuses on board the fishing boat. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Ethnic Rohingya refugees board a National Search and Rescue Agency ship after being rescued from their capsized boat in the waters off West Aceh, Indonesia, on Thursday, March 21, 2024. The wooden fishing boat carried about 140 Rohingya refugees, but only 75 people were rescued. In interviews with The Associated Press, eight of the survivors described abuses on board the fishing boat. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Ethnic Rohingya refugees climb onto a National Search and Rescue Agency boat after their boat capsized off West Aceh, Indonesia, on Thursday, March 21, 2024. The wooden fishing boat carried about 140 Rohingya refugees, but only 75 people were rescued. In interviews with The Associated Press, eight of the survivors described abuses on board the fishing boat. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Ethnic Rohingya refugees stand on their capsized boat as rescuers throw a rope to them off West Aceh, Indonesia, on Thursday, March 21, 2024. The wooden fishing boat carried about 140 Rohingya refugees, but only 75 people were rescued. In interviews with The Associated Press, eight of the survivors described abuses on board. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Members of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency scan the horizon during the search for a capsized boat carrying Rohingya refugees off West Aceh, Indonesia, on Thursday, March 21, 2024. The wooden fishing boat carried about 140 Rohingya refugees, but only 75 people were rescued. In interviews with The Associated Press, eight of the survivors described abuses on board the fishing boat. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

N, a 12-year-old ethnic Rohingya refugee identified by The Associated Press with only an initial, because she is a sexual assault survivor, stands in her tent at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Indonesia, on Thursday, April 4, 2024. N was among 75 people rescued from atop an overturned fishing boat off the Indonesian coast in March. Dozens of other Rohingya refugees died. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

John Krasinski’s imaginary friends movie “IF” claimed the top spot at the box office this weekend according to studio estimates Sunday. Its $35 million North American debut was also a bit lower than some projections.

Is that a disappointment? An ominous sign of the box office times? Or is the final story on “ IF " yet to be written? It's not just your imagination: In these bumpy early weeks of the 2024 summer box office season, in which nothing has been a runaway hit and every new movie has more and more pressure to succeed, “IF” hit a nerve.

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, and an army of A-list voices including Steve Carell, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Louis Gossett Jr., Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Maya Rudolph, “IF” was an original idea from Krasinski, who wrote, directed and co-stars.

Paramount debuted the film, which cost a reported $110 million to produce, in 4,041 locations in North America. Internationally, it earned an estimated $20 million from 56 markets, adding up to a $55 million global debut.

“Families came out in force and they loved the film,” said Chris Aronson, who heads Paramount’s domestic distribution.

There are several somewhat contradictory narratives swirling around its performance as well. With its PG-rating, “IF” was the first major family friendly film to open in theaters in weeks. And unlike a front-loaded superhero or horror movie, family pics are often running a marathon not a sprint. Last June, Pixar’s “Elemental” was assumed to be dead on arrival when it opened with $29.5 million domestically. But it continued earning throughout the summer and ultimately made nearly $500 million globally.

“IF” got middling reviews from critics (it's currently sitting at a “rotten” 49% on Rotten Tomatoes), but, as with “Elemental,” audiences gave it a solid A CinemaScore this weekend. The studio considers it a successful debut and is optimistic about its longevity as summer actually begins for school age children.

“I think it bodes well for moviegoing in general as we move into the summer movie season," Aronson said. "Kids are out of school starting this coming week and I couldn’t think of a better film to be in the marketplace than this one: It’s new, it’s fresh, its original, and it’s such a heartwarming film.”

“ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ” continues to be a bright spot. In just 10 days, it surpassed $100 million domestically and $237 million globally. It came in second place in its second weekend with $26 million (down 55%).

But there also hasn’t been a major movie moment akin to last year’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer” in quite some time. Last year on this weekend “Fast X” opened to over $60 million.

“This is a very unusual summer. It got off to an unusual start without a Marvel movie," said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “The box office has been in a holding pattern 20% down from last year.”

“IF” wasn’t the only new film to open this weekend either. Lionsgate’s horror “The Strangers—Chapter 1” overperformed with a $12 million debut from 2,856 locations. The innovative marketing campaign staged some viral moments by bringing the “strangers” to major events, from the Trump trial to Coachella.

The Amy Winehouse biopic “ Back to Black " opened in North America to an estimated $2.9 million from 2,010 screens.

The filmed-for-IMAX documentary “ The Blue Angels ” also made $1.3 million this weekend from 227 screens. It’s playing on the premium large format screens through May 22 before flying to Prime Video on May 23.

The summer, which for Hollywood begins the first weekend in May, is still getting started and could rev up next weekend with the infusion of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “The Garfield Movie."

Dergarabedian noted that Memorial Day weekend is a time when moviegoers play can play catch up with films they've missed and heard about. For a film like “IF," which picked up over the weekend with word of mouth buzz, that could bode well. Still, there is no sugar-coating the reality that the 2024 box office is not going to build on 2023.

"On almost every level this is a non-traditional summer in the lineup of films and the trajectory of the box office," Dergarbedian said. “But collectively these films should have a solid Memorial weekend.”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “IF,” $35 million.

2. “Kingdom of hte Planet of the Apes,” $26 million.

3. “The Strangers—Chapter 1,” $12 million.

4. “The Fall Guy,” $8.5 million.

5. “Challengers,” $2.9 million.

6. “Back to Black,” $2.9 million.

7. “Tarot,” 2 million.

8. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $1.7 million.

9. “The Blue Angels,” $1.3 million.

10. “Unsung Hero,” $1.1 million.

This image released by Amazon Prime shows a scene from the documentary "The Blue Angels." (Amazon Prime via AP)

Actor Marisa Abela attends the premiere of Focus Features' "Back to Black" at AMC Lincoln Square on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in a scene from "Back to Black." (Focus Features via AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in a scene from "Back to Black." (Focus Features via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Cailey Fleming, left, and Ryan Reynolds in a scene from "IF." (Jonny Cournoyer/Paramount Pictures via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Ryan Reynolds, from left, Cailey Fleming, the character Blue, voiced by Steve Carell, and the Blossom, voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, in a scene from "IF." (Paramount Pictures via AP)

Emily Blunt, left, and John Krasinski pose with the character "Blue" at the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "IF" at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

John Krasinski, left, and Ryan Reynolds attend the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "IF" at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Ryan Reynolds poses with the character "Blue" at the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "IF" at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Cailey Fleming, left, and John Krasinski pose with the character "Blue" at the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "IF" at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)