The United Nations has reported that over 500 people are feared dead after two large shipwrecks off the coast of Myanmar since late June.The International Organization for Migration and UN High Commissioner for Refugees expressed concern over reports that two boats carrying Rohingya refugees may have capsized.The vessels, believed to have departed from Myanmar's Rakhine state, carried around 250 and 280 people respectively.The incidents occurred during hazardous maritime conditions exacerbated by recent heavy rains and flooding.This follows a long-standing refugee crisis where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since 2017.

The UN agencies noted that nearly 300 people have been reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal this year, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi citizens.The situation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by displaced communities and the dangers of maritime journeys in the region.