Authorities launched a search today for 24 Rohingya refugees who went missing while trying to swim to shore from a boat off the resort island of Langkawi.

Malaysia has long been a favoured destination for Rohingya Muslims seeking a better life after escaping a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar and, more recently, refugee camps in Bangladesh.

The country's coastguard said 25 people had tried to swim to shore late on Saturday when their boat was near the west coast of the island but...