Rohingya refugees rescued off Indonesian coast: UN

More than 100 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, have been rescued after their boat sank off the coast of Indonesia, the UN refugee agency said on Saturday.

Ethnic Rohingya, who are mostly Muslim, face brutal persecution in Myanmar and thousands risk their lives every year on long and dangerous sea journeys to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.

“We have received a report from the East Aceh government that there are a total of 116 refugees here,” UNHCR spokesman Faisal Rahman said on Saturday.

“The refugees are still on the beach now, it has not yet been decided where they will be taken.”

He said the flimsy wooden boat carrying the Rohingya was found half-submerged off a beach off the coast of the northeastern island of Sumatra.

Local fisherman Saifudin Taher said the boat was first spotted in East Aceh waters on Saturday morning and nearly sank hours later.