Amidst the waters off the shore of Kuala Bubon beach, situated approximately 16 miles from the coast of Aceh, the northernmost province of Indonesia, a timber vessel transporting numerous Rohingya Muslims encountered disaster on Wednesday.

Indigenous fisherfolk from Kuala Bubon swiftly came to the aid of six refugees, facilitating their rescue and subsequent relocation to a makeshift sanctuary. No immediate accounts of casualties have surfaced. The Rohingya populace, numbering around 740,000, sought refuge in Bangladesh, fleeing the ruthless military operations in their native Myanmar. A considerable number have endeavored to escape the overcrowded encampments in Bangladesh, with Indonesia observing a surge in refugee influx since November, prompting appeals to the global community for assistance. Upon their arrival in Aceh, the Rohingya are met with some degree of animosity from certain members of the Muslim community.

In the preceding year, close to 4,500 Rohingya—comprising predominantly women and children—sought refuge from their homeland in Myanmar and the adjacent refugee settlements in Bangladesh, embarking on perilous sea voyages. As per the United Nations refugee agency’s records, 569 individuals perished or were reported missing during their crossing of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, marking the highest fatality count since 2014. The prospect of a safe return to Myanmar remains virtually unattainable, given the military junta’s usurpation of power from the democratically elected government in 2021. Presently, no nation has extended substantial resettlement opportunities to alleviate their plight.