6 die at sea as boat carrying fleeing Rohingya reaches Indonesia

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - At least six Rohingya died at sea when a boat carrying the fleeing persecuted community members reached Indonesia, authorities in the Southeast Asian nation said Friday.

The boat was also carrying at least 93 other Rohingya who reached the coast of Aceh at around 4 a.m. (2100GMT, Thursday), along the northwest tip of the Sumatra Island, the local English daily Jakarta Globe reported.

Local authorities said the Rohingya refugees were stranded on the coast of East Aceh’s Madat district, along with the bodies of six other Rohingya, covered with sarongs, who appeared to have died at sea.

Police have launched a probe, with the bodies yet to be buried, while local authorities have contacted the UN refugee agency and other international organizations to handle the situation.

Hundreds of Rohingya have fled their home country of Myanmar due to persecution by the junta regime, as well as other ethnic armed groups. Indonesia, besides Bangladesh, has been one of their main destinations as they flee the persecution via sea.