Dozens of Rohingya rescued from stricken vessel after weeks adrift at sea, but fears grow for those still aboard - CNN

CNN  — 

After spending much than a period adrift connected a stricken vessel without nutrient oregon water, dozens of starving Rohingya person been rescued successful Indonesia, the United Nations exile bureau said Sunday, offering a glimmer of anticipation for the persecuted radical who fled their exile camps past month successful hunt of a amended life.

Babar Baloch, an Asia spokesperson for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said 58 radical believed to beryllium from the vessel were rescued successful Aceh, though fears stay for the lives of an estimated 130 much – including galore women and children – who are inactive stranded aboard the vessel.

“Some indications suggest section Indonesian fishermen whitethorn person done the rescue,” said Baloch. “We inactive are disquieted astir (the remaining persons’) lives. Hoping they would beryllium rescued soon.”

CNN has reached retired to the Indonesian constabulary for remark but has not heard back.

The vessel was traveling from Cox’s Bazaar successful Bangladesh, wherever astir 1 cardinal members of the stateless Muslim number Rohingya unrecorded successful exile camps aft fleeing a brutal run of sidesplitting and arson by the Myanmar subject successful occidental Rakhine state.

At antithetic points successful its voyage, the vessel was spotted adjacent India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

Family members and assistance agencies person been informing for weeks that those connected committee the vas are connected the brink of starvation aft their nutrient and h2o ran out. The UNHCR said its erstwhile pleas for involution were “continuously ignored” by respective South and Southeast Asian countries.

The rescue comes conscionable 1 time aft the UN bureau said astir 180 Rohingya refugees aboard a abstracted vas missing astatine oversea are present feared dead.

The 2nd vessel besides started its “ill-fated” travel successful precocious November, and began to interruption isolated successful aboriginal December, the UNHCR said successful a statement, citing unconfirmed reports.

“Relatives person mislaid contact. Those past successful interaction presume each are dead,” the connection added. “We anticipation against anticipation this is not the case.”

Amnesty International connected Saturday appealed to the Indonesian authorities to assistance with the rescue and disembarkation of the passengers connected some boats.

“Many people, successful Indonesia, Australia, and each astir the world, are conscionable acceptable to observe Christmas. The tone of humanity that shows during Christmas indispensable prevail successful clip similar this,” it said successful a statement.

“We besides impulse the Indonesian authorities to pb a determination inaugural to resoluteness the exile crisis.”

Since 2020, much than 3,000 Rohingya person attempted the risky travel from Bangladesh by sea, according to the UN. Two thirds of those fleeing are women and children, it added.

Many question information from the overcrowded exile camps of Cox’s Bazar, wherever conditions are dire and women are astatine hazard of intersexual battle and violence.

While each countries are bound by planetary instrumentality to rescue radical successful distress astatine sea, swift enactment is not ever forthcoming – peculiarly wherever Rohingya refugees are concerned.

Passengers person been turned distant from immoderate countries, portion women person reported being assaulted during the journey.

According to Baloch, immoderate 2,000 Rohingya person taken the risky oversea travel successful 2022 alone. Of that number, astir 200 person been reported missing, helium added.

If reports of the 180 feared dormant are confirmed, it would marque this twelvemonth 1 of the deadliest for the persecuted radical seeking refuge successful a 3rd country, Baloch said.

“We anticipation against anticipation that the missing are inactive live determination retired there,” helium added. “But if these fears are true, this volition marque it a tragic twelvemonth of immense proportions involving hopeless people.”