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By The South Asia Times

BANGKOK - More than 500 Rohingya refugees are feared to have died after two overcrowded boats reportedly capsized in the Bay of Bengal while attempting to flee Myanmar, according to the Associated Press, citing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The UN agencies said preliminary information indicates that the two vessels departed Myanmar's western Rakhine State in late June, carrying mostly Rohingya refugees. Some passengers had reportedly traveled from refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh before boarding the boats.

One vessel, believed to have been carrying around 250 people, disappeared shortly after setting sail, while a second boat with an estimated 280 passengers is thought to have sunk off Myanmar's Ayeyarwady coast on July 8.

The UN agencies cautioned that the incidents and casualty figures have not yet been officially confirmed but described the reports as deeply alarming.

"We are gravely concerned by the potentially devastating loss of life," UNHCR and IOM said in a joint statement, calling for urgent regional cooperation to prevent further maritime tragedies.

Myanmar's military-led government has not officially commented on the reports. Officials from the country's Ministry of Home Affairs and regional authorities either declined to comment or did not respond to requests from media outlets, according to AP.

The reported sinkings come during the annual monsoon season, when rough seas make maritime crossings especially hazardous. Humanitarian agencies noted that recent heavy rainfall and flooding across the region would have significantly increased the risks faced by those attempting the journey.

The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority, have endured decades of persecution in Myanmar. Around 1.2 million stateless Rohingya remain in sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleeing a military crackdown in 2017 that forced hundreds of thousands across the border. The United States has described the campaign by Myanmar's military as genocide.

Those who remain in Myanmar continue to face severe restrictions on movement, limited access to healthcare and education, and widespread discrimination.

Aid agencies say worsening humanitarian conditions are driving more Rohingya to undertake dangerous sea voyages toward countries such as Malaysia, despite the high risk of death.

Funding shortfalls caused by reductions in international humanitarian assistance have led to cuts in food rations and other essential services in Bangladesh's refugee camps. At the same time, renewed fighting between Myanmar's military and the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group that controls large parts of Rakhine State, has further reduced prospects for a safe return.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized regional authorities for inadequate search-and-rescue efforts and for failing to provide timely assistance to boats carrying Rohingya refugees in distress.

UNHCR and IOM urged governments across the region to strengthen search-and-rescue operations, expand access to asylum and protection, and intensify efforts to combat human smuggling and trafficking networks.

According to UNHCR, more than 6,500 Rohingya attempted to flee by sea in 2025, with nearly 900 reported dead or missing, making it the deadliest year on record for Rohingya maritime crossings. The agency says the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea remain among the world's most dangerous migration routes.