Malaysia has ordered its navy to conduct search-and-rescue operations to recover Rohingya migrant boats and bring them ashore.

“We have to prevent loss of life,” Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said in his tweet announcing the move.

“We have been instructed to coordinate with (medical relief society) Mercy Malaysia in providing humanitarian aid to the Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants,” a senior navy official told dpa.

“Our assets are on the lookout for possible boats carrying migrants, and they are ready to assist them and bring them to our shores. But I have not received any report of sightings.”

- dpa