The ship with about 185 Rohingya people got stuck in the ocean due to a malfunction

At least one of the ship's passengers has died, and dozens more are in critical condition.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said about 185 Rohingya, mostly women and children, were stranded near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands due to an engine failure.

The UN agency said at least one of the boat's passengers had already died and dozens more were "in critical condition".

"Many more people could die in front of the eyes of many coastal states if they are not rescued in time and brought to the nearest safe place," UNHCR warned. "It's really a desperate situation."

Thousands of Rohingya, brutally persecuted in Myanmar, make perilous sea journeys from their homeland and refugee camps in Bangladesh each year to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.

More than 2,000 Rohingya have attempted to make the perilous journey to Southeast Asian countries in 2022, UNHCR reports. More than 570 people, including Rohingya refugees, have been reported dead or missing at sea in the region since last year.

The UN agency once again emphasized the importance of all countries in the region to use all search and rescue capabilities to prevent human disasters of this magnitude.