Over 500 Rohingya feared dead in two boat sinkings in Bay of Bengal

More than 500 people are feared dead after two boats carrying Rohingya refugees capsized in the Bay of Bengal. The vessels left Myanmar’s western state of Rakhine in late June carrying mostly Rohingya passengers, some of whom had traveled from refugee camps in Bangladesh. One boat believed to hold around 250 people lost contact shortly after departure.

A second boat carrying 280 people is believed to have sunk off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast on July 8. The International Organization for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stated that the incidents and casualty figures have yet to be officially confirmed yet expressed grave concern over the potentially devastating loss of life. Acting police Brig.

Gen. Soe Lin Aung, spokesperson for Myanmar’s Ministry of Home Affairs, declined to comment. Spokespeople for Myanmar’s president and the Ayeyarwady region’s government did not respond to requests for comment.

The Rohingya typically avoid such journeys during monsoon season when conditions at sea are dangerous. Recent torrential rain and flooding across the region made the voyages especially risky. Around 1.2 million stateless Rohingya remain in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh after fleeing violence by Myanmar’s security forces.

The military that killed thousands of Rohingya in 2017 remains in charge of their homeland, while those still in Myanmar face severe restrictions and many are confined to internment camps. Steep cuts to foreign aid have led to ration reductions in the Bangladesh camps, and fighting between Myanmar’s military and an ethnic armed organization in Rakhine has added pressure.

More than 6,500 Rohingya fled by boat and nearly 900 were reported dead or missing in 2025, the deadliest year on record for such journeys.

The route has the highest mortality rate of any major refugee or migrant sea crossing in the world. The IOM and UNHCR urged stronger regional and international efforts to prevent further loss of life, including enhanced search and rescue, access to asylum and protection, and actions against smuggling and trafficking networks.