Deadliest Year on Record: Rohingya Refugees Face Perilous Sea Journeys

In 2025, approximately 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead in maritime attempts to flee adversity, according to the UN. Driven by dire conditions in Myanmar and Bangladesh, these perilous journeys have continued into 2026, highlighting an ongoing humanitarian crisis exacerbated by reduced global aid funding.

In 2025, nearly 900 Rohingya refugees perished or vanished during dangerous sea voyages in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, the United Nations has reported. These numbers mark the year as the deadliest for the perilous route, as more than one in seven refugees attempting the journey were lost, according to UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch.

The hazardous crossings have persisted into 2026, with over 2,800 Rohingya undertaking these journeys by mid-April, Baloch disclosed. Women and children comprise more than half of those risking their lives seeking safety and better opportunities, against a backdrop of ongoing violence in Myanmar and deplorable living conditions in Bangladesh refugee camps.

This week, a tragic incident underscored the crisis as approximately 250 people went missing after a boat capsized, intensifying concerns over the funding shortages hampering humanitarian efforts. Efforts to aid the Rohingya are underfunded, with support currently at just 32% of the required $200 million, UNHCR stated.

(With inputs from agencies.)