Geneva, April 17, 2026
A record number of Rohingya refugees died or went missing while attempting dangerous sea crossings in 2025, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), highlighting the worsening humanitarian crisis facing the stateless minority.
UNHCR reported that nearly 900 Rohingya were either missing or confirmed dead in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal last year, making it the deadliest year on record for such journeys. Out of approximately 6,500 refugees who attempted the crossings, more than one in seven did not survive — the highest mortality rate globally for refugee sea routes.
The perilous journeys have continued into 2026, with over 2,800 Rohingya already attempting to flee by sea as of mid-April. According to UNHCR, women and children account for more than half of those undertaking these risky voyages.
“These are not decisions taken lightly,” said UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch. “Families would not risk such dangerous journeys unless driven by extreme desperation.”
The Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority from Myanmar, have faced years of violence and displacement. Many currently live in overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh, where limited resources and declining international aid are worsening living conditions.
In a recent incident, around 250 people were reported missing after a boat carrying Rohingya refugees capsized in the Andaman Sea. The vessel had departed from Teknaf in southern Bangladesh, a common starting point for such journeys.
Humanitarian agencies warn that funding shortages are intensifying the crisis. UNHCR has appealed for $200 million in 2026 to support Rohingya refugees living in camps in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char island, but only about one-third of the required funds have been secured so far.
More than 1.3 million Rohingya refugees remain displaced across the region, including about 1.2 million in Bangladesh, underscoring the scale and urgency of the crisis.
