More Than 500 Feared Dead After Two Shipwrecks Off Myanmar Coast

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Geneva: More than 500 people are feared dead after two large boats capsized off the coast of Myanmar, the United Nations warned on Thursday.

The two vessels departed from the conflict-torn Rakhine State in late June, carrying mostly members of the Rohingya Muslim minority. According to a joint statement from the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), some of the passengers had travelled from overcrowded refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, where over a million refugees live in poor conditions.

The first boat, carrying roughly 250 people, lost contact shortly after setting sail. The second vessel, which had about 280 people on board, is believed to have sunk off the Ayeyarwady coast on 8 July.

While official confirmation of the incidents and casualties is still pending, UN agencies expressed grave concern over the potentially devastating loss of life. They highlighted that these journeys were attempted outside the regular sailing season when sea conditions are exceptionally hazardous, made worse by recent torrential rain and regional flooding.

If verified, this tragedy will add to the nearly 300 people who have already been reported dead or missing in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal this year.

Pic Credit: AFP| File Image