Two Boats Go Missing, 500 People Dead?

Thousands of refugees flee the war-torn Myanmar in search of better livelihood and safety. Unfortunately, many such people have died due to boat tragedies while attempting to dangerous sea crossings. Now, two boats have reportedly gone missing and 500 people are estimated to have feared dead in what could be worst maritime disaster in recent times. 

As per media reports, the two vessels carrying Rohingya refugees are believed to have capsized off the coast of Myanmar, leaving hundreds of people on board feared dead.  Both boats departed from Myanmar’s Rakhine State in late June, carrying several passengers from refugee camps. Some passengers on board were also reportedly from Bangladesh.

While the first vessel carried approximately 250 passengers, the second one has more than 280 people on board. Both of them were reportedly washed away off the Myanmar’s Irrawaddy coast and many passengers have reportedly feared dead with no trace of any individual surviving due to inclement weather conditions.

Both boats left Myanmar and Bangladesh in late June during the dangerous monsoon season. The weather brought heavy rains and violent waves that quickly broke the weak fishing vessels apart. One boat lost all radio contact soon after starting its journey on the rough water. The other boat went down on July 8 near the Irrawaddy region of Myanmar. The exact number of casualties is not yet known. 

Due to the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, thousands of refugees pay money to smugglers to escape harsh conditions at home and escape on boats to a safer place. Last year, nearly 900 people died or went missing while trying to cross the seas. This year, the toll has already touched 300 before this tragedy came to light.