More than 600 migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar stranded at sea have landed in Indonesia's Aceh province, after being rescued by local fishing boats.

Thousands of migrants, mainly from the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar, are thought to be at sea after being abandoned by people smugglers.

About 2,000 of them came ashore in Aceh earlier this week and are being given medical assistance and food.

Since then, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been turning boats away.

Officials said 210 of those that landed in Aceh on Friday were from Myanmar and 395 from Bangladesh. Medical officials told BBC Indonesian service that eight on board were critically ill.

The heavily packed boat was abandoned by people smugglers who also disabled the engine. The migrants, including women and babies, had told our correspondent they had no food or water and that 10 people had died.

BBC correspondent said it was a "desperate sight" as people on board cried out for food and water.

Rohingya Muslims have been leaving Myanmar, also known as Burma, because they are not recognised as citizens of the country and face persecution.(BBC)

Earlier this week thousands of migrants started landing on the shores of Malaysia and Indonesia after being abandoned by people smugglers afraid of a crackdown by authorities in Thailand, the usual route used by the migrants.

It is unclear how many boats full of people are adrift at sea, but rights group say thousands of migrants are likely stranded and are not being allowed to land.

Some of those who are adrift in the Andaman Sea have been provided with food, water and medicine by the Thai navy.

(BBC)