AP Migration Asia Pacific Migration Network ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Description of the disaster Arrival of Two Boats carrying migrants in Aceh, Indonesia On 24 June 2020, three local fishermen rescued 99 migrants from a damaged boat on Lancok Coast, North Aceh district. The migrants were brought to shore and transferred to a training facility owned by the Lhokseumawe City government. After a headcount, it was disclosed that the group consisted of 31 women, 40 girls, 16 boys, and 12 men. Due to language barrier, it was challenging to establish communication with the migrants. However, a migrant who spoke English and Malay was later identified among the group. It was revealed that the group departed from Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh and may have been at sea for up to four months and that an additional 17 migrants initially aboard the boat, may have died during the journey. With permission from local government, the migrants were permitted to remain in the facility. Needs assessment was conducted jointly through local coordination on the ground involving several organizations, including UNHCR, IOM, PMI, Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS), Getanyoe Foundation, in coordination with the local authorities. Several organizations including PMI, UNHCR, and IOM were granted permission to work in the facility to support the migrants.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than 105 million confirmed cases and over 2.3 million deaths around the globe since 16 January 2020. The outbreak has caused unprecedented impacts on human mobility, leaving migrants and mobile populations among the most vulnerable.