UN probes feared Rohingya boat tragedy in Bay of Bengal
Two boats carrying Rohingya refugees reportedly sank after leaving Myanmar as worsening conflict and shrinking aid push more families into deadly sea crossings
GENEVA, Switzerland (MNTV) — The United Nations refugee agency is investigating reports that two boats carrying Rohingya refugees capsized in the Bay of Bengal after departing Myanmar’s Rakhine state, raising fears of another mass casualty disaster along one of the world’s deadliest refugee routes.
The boats reportedly left Rakhine on June 29 before sinking at sea, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which said Tuesday it was working to verify the circumstances of the incident and determine the number of people who may have been aboard.
“We are deeply concerned by the potential loss of life and are working to verify further details,” the agency said in a statement.
The reported disaster comes as growing numbers of Rohingya attempt dangerous sea journeys toward Malaysia, driven by escalating conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine state and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in refugee camps across neighboring Bangladesh.
Around 1.2 million predominantly Muslim Rohingya refugees remain in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh after fleeing successive waves of violence in Myanmar, including the military’s 2017 campaign that the United States has recognized as genocide.
Those who remain inside Myanmar continue to face severe movement restrictions, persecution and, in many cases, confinement in camps.
The humanitarian crisis has deepened in recent months as major international aid cuts, including reductions by the United States and other donors, have forced food ration cuts in Bangladesh’s refugee camps.
At the same time, fighting between Myanmar’s military and the Rakhine nationalist militant outfit Arakan Army has intensified across Rakhine state, leaving many Rohingya trapped between armed groups with few options for safety.
As a result, more refugees have turned to smugglers offering perilous sea crossings to Southeast Asia aboard overcrowded and often unseaworthy boats.
UNHCR said the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea route has become the world’s deadliest maritime corridor for refugees and migrants. More than 6,500 Rohingya attempted the crossing in 2025, with nearly 900 reported dead or missing, making last year the deadliest on record for Rohingya sea journeys.
The agency said more than 5,400 Rohingya have already attempted the crossing this year, while at least 540 people have been reported dead or missing, underscoring the continuing dangers despite repeated international warnings.
UNHCR renewed its call for governments across the region to strengthen search-and-rescue operations and ensure that boats in distress receive immediate assistance.
“Saving lives and rescuing those in distress at sea is a humanitarian imperative and a longstanding duty under international maritime law,” the agency said.
If confirmed, the latest reported sinkings would add to a growing toll of Rohingya refugees who have died while fleeing conflict, persecution and worsening humanitarian conditions in search of safety abroad.
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