Approximately 250 Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, including children, are missing and feared dead after their overcrowded trawler capsized in the Andaman Sea, a body of water in the northeastern Indian Ocean. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration announced the disaster on Tuesday, warning of a devastating toll. Only nine survivors have been confirmed rescued so far, by the Bangladesh Coast Guard on 9 April.

The vessel had departed on 4 April from Teknaf, a port town in southern Bangladesh near Cox's Bazar — home to the sprawling Balukhali refugee camp, where more than one million Rohingya live in difficult conditions. The trawler was bound for Malaysia when it sank, reportedly due to a combination of heavy winds, rough seas and severe overcrowding. One survivor, Rafiqul Islam, 40, told reporters he drifted at sea for nearly 36 hours and was burned by oil that spilled from the vessel. He said the prospect of a job in Malaysia had persuaded him to make the journey.

The Rohingya are a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority from Rakhine State in Myanmar, a Buddhist-majority country where they are denied citizenship and have faced decades of persecution. A brutal military crackdown in 2017 drove hundreds of thousands across the border into Bangladesh, and ongoing violence in Rakhine has since extinguished hopes of a safe return. With humanitarian funding shrinking and living conditions in refugee camps remaining harsh, many see the dangerous sea crossing to Malaysia — a Muslim-majority country perceived as a potential safe haven — as their only option. Thousands attempt the journey each year; in 2024 alone, more than 650 Rohingya died in regional waters, according to the UNHCR, and a further 427 were reported missing after two additional shipwrecks in May 2025.

This tragedy is far from isolated. Boats on this route are frequently small, overcrowded and lacking basic supplies such as clean water. Those who survive the crossing do not always find safety: Malaysia and Indonesia have at times turned vessels away, and some passengers have been detained or deported upon arrival. In January 2025, Malaysia turned back two boats carrying around 300 refugees after providing passengers with food and water.

The UN agencies called on the international community to maintain funding for Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, and urged action to address the root causes of displacement in Myanmar. "This tragic incident reflects the dire consequences of protracted displacement and the absence of durable solutions for the Rohingya," the UNHCR said. Until conditions in Myanmar improve and a voluntary, safe return becomes possible, rights groups and UN officials warn that desperate people will continue to risk their lives at sea — with lethal consequences.