Indonesian rescue at sea of Rohingya refugees is a reminder of an ordeal that began in Myanmar

By GRANT PECK
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — A dramatic story of survival and rescue off the western coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province has put the spotlight again on the plight of ethnic Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar who make extremely dangerous voyages across the Indian Ocean to seek better lives. Desperate survivors were pulled to safety from their capsized boat by local fishermen on Thursday, after a yet-unknown number perished. When Rohingyas are living in squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh, escape across the seas might seem like a good option — but it’s often a deadly one. The U.N. estimates that as many as one in eight persons dies or disappears in the attempt.