Two boats carrying more than 500 people are feared to have capsized off the coast of Myanmar in recent weeks. joint statement Issued by two UN agencies on Thursday.
“According to preliminary information, both ships departed Myanmar’s Rakhine state in late June carrying mostly Rohingya passengers, including some who reportedly came from refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh,” the statement said.
The first boat carrying 250 people lost contact soon after going out to sea. Another boat, believed to be carrying 280 people, sank off the Ayeyarwady coast of Myanmar on July 8, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
“If confirmed, this tragedy will join the nearly 300 people reported missing or losing their lives in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal so far this year, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals,” the statement said.
Rohingya refugees seek better living conditions
The Rohingya are a Muslim minority group mostly from Myanmar’s Rakhine state on the border with Bangladesh who have faced widespread persecution and been driven from their homes.
After fleeing a campaign of persecution at the hands of Myanmar security forces in 2017, more than 1.2 million Rohingya have fled across the border to Bangladesh, where they live in squalid conditions in overcrowded camps.
UNHCR estimates that in 2025, 6,500 Rohingya attempted to seek better living conditions abroad by making dangerous sea journeys operated by smugglers, with approximately 900 Rohingya reported missing or dead at sea in the northern Indian Ocean in 2026. Most are attempting to find safety and opportunity in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand.
In recent years, thousands of Rohingya refugees have arrived in Muslim-majority Indonesia’s Aceh province after traveling more than 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) in often overcrowded, underpowered and dilapidated wooden fishing vessels. Depending on the condition of the ship, the journey could take from two weeks to a month.
“The reported incidents also highlight the persistent risks posed by trafficking and smuggling networks, which continue to exploit the desperation of people seeking protection,” the UN agencies said in the statement Thursday.
dangerous conditions at sea
It said the missing ship was boarded “outside of the regular sailing season, when sea conditions are typically more dangerous”.
July is the peak of the south-west monsoon in the Andaman Sea, marked by heavy rainfall, rough seas and strong winds.
“Recent torrential rains and flooding across the region have further increased the risks associated with such maritime activities,” UN agencies said.
UNHCR and IOM said they were “gravely concerned by the potentially catastrophic loss of life,” although incidents and casualty figures have not yet been officially confirmed.
“The escalating conflict and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Myanmar, as well as limited assistance and opportunities in refugee camps in Bangladesh, are leading to a growing number of people making the dangerous sea journey in search of safety and protection,” the statement said.
Edited by: Carl Sexton
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