Over 500 Rohingya refugees missing at sea — their boats likely sank off the coast of Myanmar

More than 500 Rohingya refugees who were trying to reach Southeast Asian countries on rickety boats have vanished without a trace in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. According to UN agencies, two vessels are involved.

One boat, carrying around 250 people, lost contact shortly after departure. The second boat, with roughly 280 passengers on board, is believed to have sunk off the coast of Myanmar's Irrawaddy region on July 8. Officially, neither the deaths nor the sinkings have been confirmed yet.

According to the UN, the boats set out at an unusual time of year, when the sea crossing is especially dangerous. Recent heavy rains and flooding in the region have further increased the risks of such voyages.

If the tragedy is confirmed, the number of dead and missing in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal since the start of this year will approach 300 Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals previously reported missing or dead.

The Rohingya — a Muslim minority in Myanmar — have for several years been undertaking dangerous journeys on poorly equipped vessels in an attempt to reach Malaysia, Indonesia, or Thailand. Refugees are driven to flee by the internal conflict in Myanmar and the harsh conditions in overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.

The mass exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar's Rakhine (Arakan) state began in 2017, after the Myanmar army launched a military operation in the border region. According to Reuters, at least 730,000 people fled to neighboring Bangladesh at that time. Myanmar's authorities have long denied the Rohingya citizenship, claiming they are illegal migrants.