A rescue ship credited with saving thousands of migrants stranded in the Mediterranean Sea is to embark on a new mission in south-east Asia. The MY Phoenix, owned by charity Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), has been used to rescue almost 13,000 people making the perilous journey from north Africa and the Middle East to Europe.
But now its crew is sailing the 40-foot vessel to the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, where it will spend four weeks helping rescue Rohingya refugees. Last year tens of thousands of migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh attempted dangerous sea crossings to reach Malaysia and Indonesia.
Starting on 3 March, the Phoenix hopes to coordinate with local coast guards, navies and local NGOs to track, monitor and, if required, rescue migrants. It will also employ the use of long-distance drones to measure ship movements, hoping to use data to improve future handling of the crisis. ...
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/rohingya-refugee-crisis-mediterranean-rescue-ship-help-migrants-myanmar-1546310
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