A rickety boat pulled ashore by Indonesian fishermen early Wednesday was the same vessel chased away – and threatened with gunfire – by the Thai navy last week, a survivor said.
Sirajul Islam, a Rohingya Muslim who was among several hundred starving and dehydrated migrants brought to shore in Aceh province today, says their ship was the same one sent away May 14 after being found dead in the water off Koh Lipe. The Thai navy repaired the engine and provided food and drinks.
But Mr Islam said that the navy, after giving them provisions, pushed the boat away "within 10 minutes, otherwise they would shoot our ship."
The Thai navy said earlier it has been providing help to the migrants, but that most of them did not want to land in Thailand and insisted on going to Malaysia.