“Nearly 600 people believed to be Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar have been rescued from boats drifting in Indonesian waters. At least two overcrowded boats – with many women and children on board – were towed by local fishermen to the shores of Aceh province on Sunday. Myanmar – also known as Burma – refuses to recognise Rohingya as citizens. Hundreds of thousands have fled persecution in recent years, often through Thailand but also by sea. Indonesian authorities and aid agencies believe the rescued group had been at sea for about a week. They may have been trying to reach Malaysia, said Steve Hamilton of the International Organisation for Migration. He said on Sunday that four boats in total were thought to have come ashore. “People thought they were in Malaysia, it [turned out] they were in Indonesia. They were left behind by the smugglers”. Aceh provincial rescue chief Budiawan told AFP news agency on Sunday: “We received a report from fishermen this morning that there were boat people stranded. We despatched teams there and evacuated 469 migrants who are Rohingya from Myanmar and Bangladeshis. So far, all of them are safe”. North Aceh police chief Achmadi said at least 50 of the rescued people were taken to hospital. “In general, they were suffering from starvation and many were very thin”. One migrant, Rashid Ahmed, told the Associated Press he was a Rohingya and had left Myanmar's Rakhine state three months ago with his son. “We had nothing to eat. All we could do was pray”, he said. Rohingya Muslims have been fleeing sectarian violence in Myanmar for many years. In December, the UN passed a resolution urging Myanmar to give access to citizenship for the Rohingya, many of whom are classed as stateless. The organisation estimates some 25,000 Rohingya and Bangladeshis have boarded smugglers' boats between January and March this year, double the amount as over the same period last year”. – BBC News

The hull on a boat that carried Rohingya migrants for three months is seen at Langkawi island, in the Malaysia's northern state of Kedah, Malaysia, May 12, 2015. Thailand and Malaysia may set up camps and detention centers to shelter hundreds of refugees arriving on their shores, officials said on Tuesday, as a leading inter-governmental agency said about 7,000 boat people were still adrift in the Bay of Bengal. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Reuters)

A boat that carried Rohingya migrants for three months is seen at Langkawi island, in the Malaysia's northern state of Kedah May 12, 2015. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Reuters)

The captain's cabin on a boat that carried Rohingya migrants for three months is seen in Langkawi island, in the Malaysia's northern state of Kedah May 12, 2015. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Reuters)

Clothes left behind on a boat that carried Rohingya migrants for three months is seen at Langkawi island, in Malaysia's northern state of Kedah May 12, 2015. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Reuters)

A compartment on a boat that carried Rohingya migrants for three months is seen at Langkawi island, in Malaysia's northern state of Kedah May 12, 2015. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Reuters)

Living quarters on a boat that carried Rohingya migrants for three months is seen at Langkawi island, in the Malaysia's northern state of Kedah May 12, 2015. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Reuters)

Food left behind on a boat that carried Rohingya migrants for three months is seen at Langkawi island, in Malaysia's northern state of Kedah May 12, 2015. (Photo by Olivia Harris/Reuters)

Migrants believed to be Rohingya eat inside a shelter after being rescued from boats, in Lhoksukon, Indonesia's Aceh Province May 11, 2015. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)

Migrants believed to be Rohingya are seen inside a shelter after being rescued from boats, in Lhoksukon, Indonesia's Aceh Province May 11, 2015. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)

Suspected Rohingya migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh line up at Rattaphum district hall in Thailand's southern Songkhla province May 9, 2015. (Photo by Surapan Boonthanom/Reuters)

Migrants believed to be Rohingya rest inside a shelter after being rescued from boats, in Lhoksukon, Indonesia's Aceh Province May 11, 2015. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)

Indonesian Rescue Team members distribute food to migrants believed to be Rohingya inside a shelter after they were rescued from boats, in Lhoksukon in Indonesia's Aceh Province May 11, 2015. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)

Migrants believed to be Rohingya rest inside a shelter after being rescued by fishermen at Lhoksukon in Indonesia's Aceh Province May 11, 2015. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)

Migrants believed to be Rohingya rest inside a shelter after being rescued from boats, in Lhoksukon, Indonesia's Aceh Province May 11, 2015. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)

Suspected Rohingya migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh rest at Rattaphum district hall in Thailand's southern Songkhla province May 9, 2015. (Photo by Surapan Boonthanom/Reuters)

Migrants believed to be Rohingya look out from the window of a shelter after being rescued from boats, in Lhoksukon, Indonesia's Aceh Province May 11, 2015. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)

An Indonesia policeman distributes used clothes to migrants believed to be Rohingya inside a shelter in Lhoksukon, Indonesia's Aceh Province May 11, 2015. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)

Migrants believed to be Rohingya rest inside a shelter after being rescued from boats at Lhoksukon in Indonesia's Aceh Province May 11, 2015. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)

Migrants believed to be Rohingya sleep inside a shelter in Lhoksukon, Indonesia's Aceh Province May 11, 2015. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)