More than 500 people feared dead in double Myanmar shipwreck tragedy

Key Points:

• Two boats carrying around 530 ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar’s Rakhine state set sail in late June, with one believed to have sunk off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast on 8 July, resulting in hundreds likely drowned.
• The passengers, many fleeing persecution and some from Cox’s Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh, faced hazardous sea conditions outside the regular sailing season, with overcrowded and unsuitable vessels increasing risks.
• Nearly 300 people have already been reported missing or drowned in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal this year, exacerbated by recent torrential rains and flooding in the region.
• Funding cuts and limited assistance in refugee camps, coupled with ongoing conflict and military attacks in Myanmar, have driven many Rohingya to undertake dangerous sea journeys in search of safety.
• UNHCR and IOM continue to support coordinated search, rescue, and protection efforts across Asia-Pacific, emphasizing a route-based approach to save lives and manage mixed migration movements effectively.