More Than 70 Rohingya Refugees Dead or Missing as Boat Capsizes Near Indonesia

Defense News , Indonesia :-  Around 70 Rohingya people are believed to have died or disappeared after the boat they were on overturned near Indonesia's Aceh province. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday that 75 people were saved.

The UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration said in a statement that if the number of deaths is confirmed, it would be the biggest loss of life this year.

Six migrants were rescued by fishermen on Wednesday, which raised concerns. 

Indonesia's rescue team rushed from Banda Aceh city on Wednesday evening to help, but they faced difficulties finding the boat in the rough waters.

Finally, on Thursday around noon, the team found the boat and survivors.

The boat was heading east when it started leaking, and strong currents pushed it towards the west of Aceh, according to Amiruddin, a local fishing leader. The six rescued people said others were still trying to survive on the overturned boat.

Babar Baloch, a UNHCR Asia spokesperson, told Reuters on Friday that there were 151 people on the boat. Around 75 were saved by local authorities, but the rest are feared dead or missing.

Faisal Rahman, UNHCR's protection associate in Aceh, said the surviving Rohingya were in good condition and were being housed in a Red Cross building in West Aceh.

Rohingyas have been leaving Myanmar for years due to mistreatment, lack of citizenship, and being seen as outsiders. According to UNHCR, over 2,300 Rohingya arrived in Indonesia last year, more than in the previous four years combined.

In January, UNHCR reported that at least 569 Rohingya died or went missing while trying to flee Myanmar or Bangladesh in 2023, the highest toll since 2014.