Over 500 Rohingya Missing After Two Capsized Vessels in the Bay of Bengal

SYDNEY — More than 500 individuals are presumed dead following reports that two vessels transporting members of Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya community capsized in the Bay of Bengal, officials reported on Thursday.

Preliminary data indicate that the vessels departed Rakhine State in late June, primarily loaded with Rohingya refugees, many of whom had previously moved from camps in Bangladesh, as noted in a joint statement by the International Organization for Migration and the UN Refugee Agency.

One of the boats, estimated to be carrying roughly 250 persons, lost contact shortly after setting out. The second vessel, believed to be transporting about 280 individuals, is presumed to have sunk off the Ayeyarwady coast on July 8.

“Although the precise incident details and casualty numbers remain unverified, the UNHCR and IOM express deep concern over the potential scale of loss,” the agencies stated.

Historically, Rohingya refugees have largely avoided such sea voyages during this season, when monsoonal rains are common and maritime conditions are especially perilous. The UNHCR and IOM highlighted this in their statement, noting that recent heavy rains and flooding have further amplified the risks.

Approximately 1.2 million stateless, predominantly Muslim Rohingya remain confined to overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh following waves of violence perpetrated by Myanmar’s security forces.

They have no safe avenue to return to Myanmar, where the military responsible for the 2017 atrocities—an act the United States has labeled a genocide—continues to govern. Rohingya still residing in Myanmar confront severe restrictions and many are interned in camps.

Severe reductions in foreign assistance have resulted in food ration cuts within Bangladesh’s refugee camps, while the ruling military and an ethnic armed group in Rakhine have clashed over control of the area.

The instability has spurred growing numbers of Rohingya to attempt the perilous sea crossing to Malaysia aboard unseaworthy vessels, resulting in thousands of deaths, including infants, children, and pregnant women. Local maritime authorities have repeatedly abandoned Rohingya at sea, often disregarding distress reports.

The IOM and UNHCR noted on Thursday that this latest potential maritime tragedy underscores the absence of durable solutions for the Rohingya and called on the international community to bolster support for those trapped in Bangladesh’s camps.

“Enhanced regional and international cooperation is essential to curb further fatalities along one of the world’s most lethal maritime corridors, through improved search‑and‑rescue operations, asylum access, and measures targeting smuggling and trafficking networks,” the agencies asserted.

In 2025, more than 6,500 Rohingya attempted to flee by sea, with nearly 900 reported dead or missing—a record fatality rate for refugee sea journeys worldwide, according to the UNHCR.

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