More than 500 people are feared dead after two boats carrying mostly Rohingya refugees reportedly capsized off the coast of Myanmar, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The UN agencies said the boats departed Myanmar's Rakhine State in late June. One vessel, believed to have been carrying about 250 passengers, lost contact shortly after leaving shore, while a second boat carrying around 280 people is believed to have sunk off the Ayeyarwady coast on July 8.
Although the incidents and the number of casualties have not yet been officially confirmed, the IOM and UNHCR expressed deep concern over what could be one of the deadliest maritime disasters involving Rohingya refugees in recent years.
The agencies noted that more than 300 Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals had already been reported dead or missing this year in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal before the latest incidents.
The Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar, continue to undertake dangerous sea journeys in search of safety, particularly toward Malaysia, despite the risks posed by rough monsoon weather and overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.
The UN agencies called on the international community to strengthen search-and-rescue operations, expand access to asylum and protection, and intensify efforts to dismantle human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks.
According to UNHCR, more than 6,500 Rohingya attempted dangerous sea crossings in 2025, with nearly 900 reported dead or missing, making it the deadliest year on record for Rohingya refugees travelling by sea.
.jpeg)
.jpeg "Sunayen kofofin aljanna guda takwas 8")
0 Comment about the Post: