Malaysian immigration officials defied a court ordered stay and loaded the migrants onto three navy ships sent by Myanmar's military government to return them.
Mister Rogers said "look for the helpers" in times of crisis. Here's the story of Shah Dedar. He's 32, he's a Tom Hanks fan — and he works to protect the most vulnerable in crowded refugee camps.
Bangladesh has stressed that it will not repatriate anyone against their will. The plan sparked protests among some refugees, while others reportedly hid within refugee camps.
Doctors Without Borders conducted field studies in neighboring Bangladesh, where Rohingya Muslims have fled since the beginning of what the U.N. describes as "ethnic cleansing."
Francis, on a visit to Yangon before traveling to Bangladesh later this week, hasn't said whether he will address the crisis described by the United Nations as "a textbook case of ethnic cleansing."
The visit comes as violence against the minority Muslim population has forced hundreds of thousands to flee across the border to neighboring Bangladesh.