UN probes reported Rohingya boat sinkings as 2025 turns deadliest sea escape

The United Nations refugee agency is investigating reports that two boats carrying members of Myanmar's Rohingya minority capsized in the Bay of Bengal after leaving Rakhine state in late June. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said it was trying to verify details amid fears of loss of life.

The reported sinkings come at a time when more Rohingya are attempting dangerous sea journeys to Malaysia as conditions worsen in refugee camps in Bangladesh and fighting continues in Rakhine. The UNHCR said 2025 has been the deadliest year for Rohingya trying to leave by boat, with hundreds reported dead or missing.

In a statement on Tuesday, the UNHCR said the boats had reportedly departed Myanmar's western state of Rakhine before sinking. "We are deeply concerned by the potential loss of life and are working to verify further details," the agency said.

The UNHCR did not give more details, including how many Rohingya were believed to have been on board or where the boats were thought to have sunk.

Around 1.2 million stateless, predominantly Muslim Rohingya remain in overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleeing waves of violence by Myanmar's security forces. The refugees have no safe way to return to Myanmar, where the military accused by the United States of genocide in 2017 remains in power. Rohingya still in Myanmar face severe restrictions, and many live in internment camps.

Steep cuts to foreign aid by the United States and other countries have led to ration cuts in Bangladesh's refugee camps. At the same time, Myanmar's ruling military and an ethnic armed organisation in Rakhine have been fighting for control of the region.

The unrest has led to an increasing number of Rohingya attempting the sea crossing to Malaysia on rickety boats. Thousands are reported to have died on these journeys, including babies, children and pregnant women. Local maritime authorities have often left Rohingya adrift at sea and ignored reports of boats in distress.

"Saving lives and rescuing those in distress at sea is a humanitarian imperative and a longstanding duty under international maritime law," the UNHCR said, as it called on countries to strengthen search and rescue efforts and urged regional authorities and the international community to do more.

The agency said more than 6,500 Rohingya fled and nearly 900 were reported dead or missing in 2025, making it the deadliest year for Rohingya attempting to leave by boat. It said this was the highest mortality rate of any major refugee and migrant sea route in the world. More than 5,400 Rohingya refugees have fled by boat so far this year, with 540 reported missing or dead.

The reported capsizing of the two boats adds to the growing risks faced by Rohingya trying to leave Myanmar and the refugee camps in Bangladesh, as the UNHCR continues to seek details about the latest incident.

With PTI Inputs