UN urges rescue of 185 Rohingya from Indian Ocean

“At least a dozen people are feared to be in critical condition and one has already died,” it said.

“Many more could die before the eyes of many coastal countries if they are not rescued in time and allowed to disembark in a safe place.”

UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch told AFP the agency was appealing to all coastal authorities in the region to rescue the migrants, believed to be Rohingya.

“It’s a really desperate situation,” he said.

Thousands of Rohingya, mainly Muslims, severely persecuted in Myanmar, undertake risky sea journeys from refugee camps in Myanmar and Bangladesh every year in an attempt to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.

As of 2022, more than 2,000 Rohingya have attempted to make the dangerous journey to Southeast Asian countries, according to the UNHCR.

And since last year, more than 570 people, including Rohingya refugees, have died or gone missing at sea in the region.

As for the people currently adrift, the agency stressed that “if rescued in time, an even greater tragedy could be avoided.”

“Such a situation once again underlines how important it is for all countries in the region to use all their search and rescue capabilities to prevent human disasters of this scale.”

2023-12-23 13:38:00
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