The United Nations has reported that around 900 Rohingya refugees died at sea in 2025, marking the deadliest year on record for the region. The announcement came on Friday following a shipwreck earlier this month that left hundreds missing. UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said in a briefing in Geneva that the deaths occurred in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

According to UNHCR data, over 6,500 Rohingya attempted dangerous sea journeys last year, with one in every seven either missing or dead. Baloch noted that this represents the highest mortality rate among major sea routes used by refugees and migrants worldwide.

Most of the Rohingya begin their journeys from overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where more than one million refugees live after fleeing conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The region continues to face intense fighting between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army, worsening conditions for civilians and prompting more to attempt perilous escapes by sea.