Myanmar boat disaster leaves over 500 Rohingya feared dead

Two overcrowded boats carrying Rohingya refugees are believed to have capsized off Myanmar’s coast in late June and on July 8. One vessel, with about 250 passengers, lost contact shortly after departing Rakhine State, while a second boat carrying roughly 280 people is thought to have sunk near the Ayeyarwady coast. United Nations agencies – the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) – said more than 500 people are feared dead, though the figures have not been officially confirmed. The passengers were largely Rohingya fleeing persecution in Myanmar, with some reportedly departing from refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The trips occurred during the monsoon season, amid heavy rain and flooding that heightened maritime risks. The agencies warned that the incidents underscore the “devastating loss of life” and called for stronger regional and international efforts, including enhanced search‑and‑rescue operations, better asylum access, and action against smuggling networks.