More than 500 Rohingya vanished at sea - what happened?
Two boats carrying over 500 Rohingya asylum seekers from Myanmar have vanished at sea, with experts fearing they capsized due to poor conditions. The disappearance highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Rakhine state and the extreme risks faced by those fleeing conflict.
Why it matters
This incident underscores the desperate conditions for displaced Rohingya populations and the lack of safe passage for refugees in the region.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, File picture of boats carrying Rohingyas off the coast of Aceh, Indonesia
Two boats carrying an estimated 530 Rohingya asylum seekers left Myanmar's Rakhine state on 29 June, and have not been heard from since. The equivalent of a jumbo jet full of people has vanished.
It is very likely that they both capsized. The monsoon has started, the seas are rough, and the boats - usually old fishing trawlers converted to carry as many people as possible - are barely sea-worthy with unreliable engines.
It is also very likely that there were few, or no survivors. Half of them may have been women and children.
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