More than 500 people are feared dead after two boats carrying mostly Rohingya refugees reportedly capsized off the coast of Myanmar in recent days, according to the United Nations, in what could become one of the deadliest maritime tragedies involving the persecuted minority in recent years.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Thursday that the two vessels departed Myanmar’s Rakhine State in late June, carrying mostly Rohingya passengers, including some who had travelled from refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
According to preliminary information, the first boat, carrying around 250 people, lost contact shortly after setting sail. A second vessel, with approximately 280 people on board, is believed to have sunk off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast on July 8. Although the incidents and casualty figures have yet to be officially confirmed, the UN agencies said they were “gravely concerned” by the potentially devastating loss of life.
The agencies noted that the journeys took place outside the regular sailing season, when rougher maritime conditions make crossings through the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal particularly dangerous.
The Rohingya crisis began in 2017 when Myanmar’s military launched an offensive in Rakhine State, forcing more than 730,000 people to flee to Bangladesh. Myanmar continues to deny the Rohingya citizenship.
Their situation has worsened since the 2021 military coup, with ongoing fighting in Rakhine State leaving many Rohingya caught in the conflict and facing limited humanitarian assistance.
According to UNHCR and IOM, nearly 300 people have already been reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal this year, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals. Last year, almost 900 Rohingya refugees died or went missing on the same route, making it the world’s deadliest maritime corridor for refugees and migrants.
