By Reuters,
Banda Ache, Indonesia : A wooden boat carrying 193 people, thought to be from either Bangladesh or Myanmar, was found stranded on a tiny island off Aceh in northwest Indonesia, a police official said on Wednesday.
The passengers, all male, were found on Wednesday morning on Sabang island. Several of them were in weak condition and 80 were treated at local hospitals.
“There are 193 men who claimed they have run away from conflict in their country. The local government has already taken the sick to nearby hospitals,” said Farid Ahmad Saleh, spokesman for the Aceh police, adding that the rest are at Sabang naval base.
The foreign ministry said it was still trying to verify their origin.
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