Sharjah 24 – AFP: Sri Lanka's navy rescued 102 Rohingya refugees, including 25 children, from a fishing trawler off the island's coast on Friday. The refugees, fleeing war-torn Myanmar, were safely brought to Sri Lanka's eastern port of Trincomalee, where they received food and water.
The group will undergo medical checks before being allowed to disembark, a navy spokesman confirmed.
The Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar, often risk dangerous sea voyages in hopes of reaching Malaysia or Indonesia. The trawler, spotted by fishermen early Thursday near Mullivaikkal on Sri Lanka's northern coast, had drifted off course, possibly due to recent cyclonic weather.
This incident marks the second time the Sri Lankan navy has rescued a boat of Rohingya refugees, with more than 100 rescued off the coast in December 2022. The ongoing persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar has led to large-scale displacement, with many seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.
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