More than 500 feared dead after Rohingya refugee boat sinks

More than 500 people are feared dead after two boats carrying members of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya minority sank in the Bay of Bengal, officials said today.

According to preliminary information, two boats left Myanmar's western Rakhine state in late June with mostly Rohingya passengers, including some who had arrived from refugee camps across the border in Bangladesh, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said.

One boat, believed to be carrying around 250 people, lost contact shortly after setting off. A second boat, reportedly carrying around 280 people, is believed to have sunk off the coast of Ayeyarwady, Myanmar, on July 8.

"While the incidents and the number of casualties have yet to be officially confirmed, UNHCR and IOM are seriously concerned about the potentially terrible loss of life," the two agencies said.

Members of the Rohingya community, who have fled Myanmar and refugee camps in Bangladesh in recent years, usually avoid such boat trips at this time of year when monsoons are frequent and sea conditions are particularly dangerous. UNHCR and IOM said in a statement that recent heavy rains and flooding across the region make such trips particularly risky.

About 1,2 million stateless people, mostly Rohingya Muslims, are stranded in overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleeing a wave of violence by security forces in Myanmar.

The refugees have no way to safely return to Myanmar, where the military that killed thousands of Rohingya in 2017 remains in power in their homeland. The United States has called the actions of Myanmar forces genocide. Rohingya who remain in Myanmar face severe restrictions, with many imprisoned in camps.

Deep cuts in aid from the US and other countries have led to cuts in rations in refugee camps in Bangladesh, as the ruling military and ethnic armed groups in Rakhine fight to regain control of the area.

The unrest has led to increasing numbers of Rohingya attempting to cross the ocean to Malaysia in unsafe boats. Thousands have lost their lives in the attempt, including babies, children and pregnant women. Local maritime authorities have often abandoned Rohingya at sea, ignoring reports of boats in distress.

IOM and UNHCR said today that the latest potential tragedy at sea highlights the continued lack of sustainable solutions for the Rohingya, and called on the international community to support those trapped in camps in Bangladesh.

More than 6.500 Rohingya have fled and nearly 900 have been reported dead or missing in 2025, the deadliest year for the population attempting to leave by boat. That figure represents the highest mortality rate for any sea route for refugees and migrants in the world, the UNHCR said.