According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that a total of 514 Rohingya were aboard two boats that sank on May 9 and 10. The refugees had set out from camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, and Rakhine State in Myanmar. Only 87 survivors have been rescued so far.

The UN has described this incident as the worst humanitarian disaster for Rohingya in 2025.

UNHCR’s regional director, Hye Kyung Jun, said that due to shrinking humanitarian funding, Rohingya are being forced to take greater risks. Driven by desperation, they seek a safe and dignified life.

The UN has called on host countries, especially Bangladesh, to stabilize the living conditions of Rohingya refugees and urged the international community to increase aid for displaced people inside Myanmar.

For 2025, UNHCR has requested $383 million in assistance for the Rohingya, but so far, only 30 percent of that amount has been received.

Meanwhile, the UN has warned that rising global defense spending is squeezing humanitarian budgets. In March, UNHCR had to suspend $30 million worth of operations due to funding shortages.