Dozens of Rohingya refugees are feared dead or missing after a boat carrying around 150 people capsized off the western coast of Indonesia. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) reported on Friday that survivors revealed the grim possibility that many lives were lost in the incident.
UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch expressed concern for those still unaccounted for, stating, “The fear is for those out of the 151, that haven’t been so far rescued, is that those lives have been lost or they have gone missing.” He emphasized the urgent need for rescue efforts, saying, “Let’s hope that tomorrow, if they are still alive somewhere, that they are rescued.”
Despite reports from survivors indicating that dozens of people were swept away, Indonesian rescuers called off the search for any remaining Rohingya refugees earlier in the day. The boat had capsized approximately 16 nautical miles (30 kilometers) off the coast of West Aceh.
According to West Aceh fishing community secretary-general Pawang Amiruddin, survivors estimated that there were “around 150 people on the boat.” The UNHCR, in a joint statement with the International Organization of Migration (IOM), expressed shock and deep concern over the situation.
The joint statement issued on Friday highlighted the severity of the incident, stating, “If confirmed, this would be the biggest loss of life so far this year.” The UNHCR and IOM urged for immediate action to address the crisis.
Authorities staged a dramatic rescue operation on Thursday, saving 69 Rohingya refugees who had been adrift at sea for weeks before the boat capsized. Many were found clinging to the hull of the overturned vessel.
The influx of Rohingya refugees into Indonesian provinces has been ongoing. From mid-November to late January, 1,752 refugees, mostly women and children, arrived in the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, according to UNHCR data. This influx marks the largest since 2015, placing additional strain on resources and humanitarian efforts in the region.
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