Stranded at sea, an estimated 4,000 men, women and children from Myanmar and Bangladesh have been left adrift with dwindling supplies, some for more than 40 days.

The UN slammed Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand for preventing migrants from reaching land and urged them to step up sea rescues.

Adrian Edwards, a spokesperson for the UNHCR in Geneva spoke of the “record high number of people forcibly displaced globally” adding that, “consequently a record high number of people (are) also making sea crossings, a large number of migrants. Very much the focus does have to be exactly on that, saving lives and having proper measures in place to deal with people on disembarkation and other points and other points along their journeys.”

Many of those stranded have left Myanmar, rights groups say Rohingya Muslims have no choice but to flee persecution but several hundred have returned to Rakhine state after paying smugglers up to 200 euros for re-entry.

Malaysia has blocked its northweste