More than 500 people are feared dead after two boats carrying Myanmar’s Rohingya minority capsized in the Bay of Bengal. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that the boats, which left Myanmar’s Rakhine state in late June, were carrying mostly Rohingya passengers, including some from refugee camps in Bangladesh. One boat lost contact shortly after departure, while the other is believed to have sunk off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwaddy coast on July 8.
The agencies expressed grave concern over the potential loss of life, highlighting that this is a particularly dangerous time for such sea journeys due to monsoon conditions. Approximately 1.2 million stateless Rohingya are trapped in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh, having fled violence perpetrated by Myanmar’s military, which has led to thousands of deaths since 2017.
Many Rohingya are forced to undertake perilous sea crossings to seek refuge, with reports indicating thousands have died during attempts to reach Malaysia in recent years. Local authorities often neglect to assist boats in distress. The IOM and UNHCR emphasized the need for international support to prevent further tragedies at sea, calling for enhanced search and rescue operations, better access to asylum, and responses to smuggling networks. In 2025 alone, over 6,500 Rohingya fled, with nearly 900 reported dead or missing—making it the deadliest year for this group attempting maritime migration.
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