More than 500 people are feared dead after reports that two boats carrying members of Rohingya minority have capsized in the Bay of Bengal, in Bangladesh officials said Thursday. Two boats left Myanmar’s western state of Rakhine in late June carrying mostly Rohingya passengers, including some from refugee camps across the border in Bangladesh, according to a statement from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
One of the boats is believed to have been carrying around 250 people and lost contact shortly after departure. A second one, reportedly carrying 280 people, is believed to have sunk off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast on July 8.
In recent years the Rohingya population fled both Myanmar and Bangladesh’s refugee camps, typically avoid such boat journeys at this time of year, when monsoons are frequent and conditions at sea are particularly dangerous, the UNHCR and IOM said in a statement.
The journeys are often affected by torrential rain and flooding across the region this time of the year UNHCR and IOM, who are gravely concerned by the potentially devastating loss of life. There are around 1.2 million stateless, predominantly Muslim, Rohingya remain in refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleeing violence in Myanmar.
Myanmar military killed thousands of Rohingya in 2017 during what the United States declared a genocide remains in charge of their homeland. The Rohingya still living in Myanmar face severe restrictions and many are confined to internment camps.
“Stronger regional and international efforts are needed to prevent further loss of life along one of the world’s deadliest maritime routes, including through enhanced search and rescue efforts, access to asylum and protection, and actions against smuggling and trafficking networks,” the agencies said.
More than 6,500 Rohingya fled and nearly 900 were reported dead or missing in 2025, the deadliest year for Rohingya who tried to leave by boat. The figure represents the highest mortality rate of any major route for refugee and migrant sea journeys in the world, the UNHCR said.
