The United Nations fears that more than 400 Rohingya refugees may have drowned in two separate shipwrecks off Myanmar’s coast earlier this month, marking what could be the deadliest maritime tragedy involving the persecuted group this year.
In a statement released on Friday, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said it is deeply alarmed by reports of two maritime disasters on May 9 and 10. Initial findings suggest that a boat carrying 267 people sank on May 9, with only 66 survivors, while another vessel carrying 247 capsized the next day, with just 21 surviving.
UNHCR said the Rohingya on these boats were either escaping from Bangladesh’s sprawling Cox’s Bazar refugee camps or fleeing conflict-hit Rakhine State in western Myanmar.
The UN described the twin shipwrecks as potentially the most lethal incidents at sea involving Rohingya refugees in 2024. UNHCR Commissioner Filippo Grandi wrote on X that the tragedy highlights the desperate plight of the Rohingya and the increasing challenges they face, especially as international aid dwindles.
UNHCR requires $383.1 mln in 2025 to stabilize lives of Rohingyas, host communities
Since facing decades of systematic persecution in Myanmar, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled the country, often embarking on perilous sea journeys in search of safety. The crisis escalated in 2017, when a brutal military crackdown forced over a million to flee to Bangladesh. Around 180,000 now face the threat of forced return to Myanmar, while many of those who stayed in Rakhine remain trapped in dire conditions.
The humanitarian situation worsened after the military coup in 2021, which toppled the elected government and intensified conflict between the junta and ethnic rebel groups like the Arakan Army in Rakhine.
Hai Kyung Jun, head of UNHCR’s Asia-Pacific bureau, said the deteriorating conditions and funding cuts are pushing more Rohingya to undertake deadly journeys in search of safety and dignity.
UNHCR estimates that 657 Rohingya have died at sea in 2024 alone. The agency is urgently appealing for international support, noting that its $383 million funding target for 2025 remains only 30% met. Major humanitarian efforts have suffered due to reduced contributions from key donors, including the U.S. and other Western nations, which are shifting priorities toward defense spending amid global tensions.
Source: Al Jazeera