185 starving Rohingya refugees rescued from stricken boat vessel

Rohingya refugees battled hunger and dehydration after the engine of their rickety boat cut out, leaving them adrift in the Andaman Sea for weeks. Some grew so desperate, they drank seawater. Others prayed for rain, so they could briefly quench their thirst. Starving and without medicine, some reportedly succumbed to illness. Despite their perilous situation, multiple calls by aid agencies to rescue the group went unanswered, leaving the fate of nearly 200 Rohingya refugees to the elements. On Monday, 185 people were rescued in Aceh, Indonesia, according to Babar Baloch, an Asia spokesperson for the United Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR).