UN fears over 500 dead after Myanmar boat capsizes
Representational image.
UN agencies said more than 500 people may have died on Thursday after two boats capsized off the coast of Myanmar.
Refugees continue to attempt these dangerous maritime journeys to escape the war-torn country in search of safety and better opportunities.
In a joint statement, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirmed that the two vessels left Myanmar’s Rakhine State in late June. The boats carried mostly Rohingya passengers, including individuals who had traveled from refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
The agencies said, “While the incidents and casualty figures have yet to be officially confirmed, UNHCR and IOM are gravely concerned by the potentially devastating loss of life.”
For years, members of the Rohingya Muslim minority have risked their lives on fragile wooden vessels. Driven by violence at home and the desperate conditions of crowded camps in Bangladesh, they hope to reach safety in Malaysia, Indonesia, or Thailand.
The first boat, which carried around 250 people, lost contact shortly after it departed. UN agencies believe a second vessel carrying around 280 people sank off the Ayeyarwady coast on 8 July.
The agencies explained the timing of the disaster in their statement, “These journeys took place outside the regular sailing season, when maritime conditions are typically more hazardous.”
So far this year, reports indicate that nearly 300 people have gone missing or died in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, a figure that includes both Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals.
Source: Reuters (adapted)
