The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday that at least 427 Rohingya refugees who fled from camps in Bangladesh and Myanmar are feared dead at sea in May alone, marking one of the deadliest months in recent years.
According to the Geneva-based agency, the figure comes after gathering testimony from survivors and families of those on board two boats that capsized off the coast of Myanmar. While some details remain unconfirmed, the UNHCR said it had verified enough to raise serious alarm.
Currently, over 1.2 million Rohingya—the vast majority of whom are Muslim—live in refugee camps across Bangladesh. Around 740,000 of them fled Myanmar’s Rakhine State in 2017 to escape a brutal military crackdown marked by mass killings and sexual violence, widely labeled as ethnic cleansing or genocide.
The first vessel, which departed from a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, reportedly picked up more passengers in Myanmar’s Rakhine State before capsizing on May 9. Of the 267 people on board, only 66 survived.
The following day, May 10, a second boat taking the same route also sank. Of the 247 people on that boat, only 21 were rescued alive.
UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said:
“We are receiving reports, but confirming what exactly happened remains challenging. However, it is feared that a significant number of people have lost their lives at sea.”
He added that prior to these tragedies, about 30 Rohingya had already been reported dead or missing in 2025 on similar sea journeys. If confirmed, this would mark a dramatic spike in casualties.
Every year, thousands of Rohingya attempt to cross the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea in desperate bids for safety and stability. The UN has repeatedly criticized regional governments for failing to carry out timely rescue operations—even when boats are known to be in distress.
In 2024, at least 657 Rohingya refugees were reported dead or missing across more than 150 sea journeys, according to UN figures.
The agency noted that the recent rise in monsoon rains and stormy weather has made these sea crossings even more perilous.
Additionally, UNHCR said it is investigating the fate of another boat carrying 188 Rohingya, which left Myanmar on May 14.
Many of the fleeing refugees are trying to reach Indonesia, which has recently reported a sharp increase in Rohingya arrivals.