More than 500 people are feared dead after two boats carrying mostly Rohingya refugees capsized off the coast of Myanmar, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday.
According to preliminary information, the two vessels departed Myanmar’s Rakhine State in late June with mostly Rohingya passengers on board.
One boat, carrying an estimated 250 people, lost contact shortly after leaving, while another, believed to have been carrying around 280 people, reportedly sank off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast on July 8.
“While the incidents and casualty figures have yet to be officially confirmed, UNHCR and IOM are gravely concerned by the potentially devastating loss of life,” the agencies said.
Before these latest incidents, more than 300 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, had already been killed or reported missing this year while attempting dangerous crossings in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
The UN agencies noted that Rohingya refugees, who have fled both Myanmar and camps in Bangladesh in recent years, usually avoid sea journeys during the monsoon season because of rough weather and hazardous condition.
They said recent heavy rainfall and flooding across the region would have made the crossings even more dangerous.
Around 1.2 million stateless Rohingya continue to live in refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleeing waves of violence by Myanmar’s security forces. Humanitarian conditions in the camps have worsened following significant cuts in foreign aid from the United States and other donors, leading to reduced food assistance.
Unable to return safely to Myanmar, where the military remains in power and Rohingya continue to face severe restrictions, many have attempted dangerous sea voyages to countries such as Malaysia.
Thousands have died on the route over the years, including children and pregnant women, while reports have accused some maritime authorities of leaving boats in distress without assistance.
The IOM and UNHCR said the latest suspected tragedy underscores the absence of durable solutions for the Rohingya crisis and called for greater international support for refugees living in Bangladesh.
“Stronger regional and international efforts are needed to prevent further loss of life along one of the world’s deadliest maritime routes, including through enhanced search and rescue efforts, access to asylum and protection, and actions against smuggling and trafficking networks,” the agencies said.
According to the UNHCR, more than 6,500 Rohingya have fled by sea in 2025, with nearly 900 reported dead or missing, making it the deadliest year on record for Rohingya attempting such journeys and the world's highest mortality rate for a major refugee and migrant sea route.
Source Al Jazeera