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More than 500 Rohingya refugees are feared dead after two boats reportedly disappeared off Myanmar's coast, the United Nations warned on Thursday, as the persecuted Muslim minority continues to flee conflict and hardship.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) voiced deep concern over reports that two vessels carrying more than 500 people may have capsized after departing Myanmar's Rakhine State in late June.
While the incidents and casualty figures have yet to be officially confirmed, the agencies warned that the potential loss of life could be devastating.
One boat, believed to have been carrying around 250 people, lost contact shortly after setting off. A second vessel, reportedly carrying about 280 passengers, is believed to have sunk off Myanmar's Ayeyarwady coast on July 8. Most of those on board were Rohingya, including some who had traveled from refugee camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar.
The journeys took place outside the regular sailing season, when rough seas already make crossings more dangerous. Heavy rain and flooding across the region further increased the risks, according to the U.N. agencies.
If confirmed, the latest disaster would add to the nearly 300 people already reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal this year, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals.
While recognizing Bangladesh's long-standing role in hosting Rohingya refugees, the agencies urged the international community to maintain support for both refugees and host communities while stepping up efforts to address the root causes of forced displacement.
The Rohingya, a mostly Muslim ethnic minority from Myanmar's Rakhine State, have faced decades of persecution and discrimination. Myanmar does not recognize most Rohingya as citizens, leaving them stateless and subject to severe restrictions on their movement, education and access to basic services.
More than 740,000 Rohingya fled to neighboring Bangladesh after Myanmar's military launched a sweeping crackdown in 2017, joining hundreds of thousands already living in refugee camps around Cox's Bazar.
The military campaign has been described by the United Nations as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, while Myanmar faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over allegations that it committed genocide against the Rohingya. Myanmar denies the accusations.
Myanmar has remained gripped by conflict since the military seized power in a 2021 coup. UNHCR and IOM said escalating violence and worsening humanitarian conditions inside Myanmar, combined with limited aid and opportunities in refugee camps in Bangladesh, are pushing more people to risk dangerous sea journeys in search of safety and protection.
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