Myanmar crisis deepens as Rohingya boat sinks off Malaysia

At least 11 people have died after a boat carrying Rohingya refugees sank near the Thai-Malaysian border, reigniting urgent calls for regional action as Myanmar’s internal conflict continues to drive desperate escapes by sea.

The vessel, carrying around 70 migrants, was part of a larger group of 300 mostly Rohingya who had split into smaller boats. It remains unclear whether the journey began in Myanmar or Bangladesh, but Amnesty International says the tragedy reflects the worsening plight of Rohingya civilians fleeing persecution and violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

Joe Freeman, Amnesty’s Myanmar researcher, said the passengers had escaped “a rapidly deteriorating situation” at home and in overcrowded refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. In Rakhine, civilians face food shortages, forced labour and arbitrary detention, caught between the Myanmar junta and the Arakan Army. The latter now controls much of northern Rakhine and has been accused of indiscriminate air strikes and violations of humanitarian law.

Meanwhile, US funding cuts have hit the Bangladesh camps hard, reducing access to shelter, education and aid. With conditions worsening, more Rohingya are risking the perilous sea route in search of safety.

Malaysia and Thailand are being urged to launch coordinated search and rescue operations and to offer survivors protection from forced return. Amnesty condemned the practice of pushing boats back from borders, calling on ASEAN leaders to allow safe landings and address the root causes of the crisis.

Malaysia has previously expelled migrant boats from its waters. In January, authorities turned away two vessels carrying 300 undocumented Rohingya from Myanmar.

The total number of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh is now estimated at 1.2 million, with over 150,000 new arrivals since late 2023. Hundreds of thousands remain internally displaced within Myanmar.

As regional governments face mounting pressure, the tragedy off Malaysia’s coast serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of inaction. The Rohingya remain stateless, vulnerable, and adrift—caught between conflict, neglect, and closed borders.

-2025-11-11