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الوسم: boat capsizing

  • Over 500 Feared Dead as Refugee Boats Sink off Myanmar, UN Reports

    Over 500 Feared Dead as Refugee Boats Sink off Myanmar, UN Reports

    Two vessels, believed to have capsized near Myanmar’s coast in recent days, carried over 500 refugees, according to UN agencies. The refugees aboard these boats primarily consisted of ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, with some reportedly originating from camps in Bangladesh. The international organization for migration (IMO) and the UN refugee agency have issued a joint statement with preliminary details, estimating that the death toll exceeds 500.

    Casualty numbers have not yet been officially verified, but UNHCR and IOM express serious concern over the possible large-scale loss of life. Driven from their homes by violence and living conditions in overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh, the Rohingya minority have long risked their lives on fragile boats in hopes of reaching safety and better chances of livelihood in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

    Last year saw nearly 900 Rohingya lost or missing at sea in what has become the deadliest maritime route for refugees and migrants worldwide, according to the UN. The recent incidents involved a boat with approximately 250 people that lost contact shortly after setting sail, and another carrying around 280 individuals that is believed to have sunk off Myanmar’s Irrawaddy coast on July 8. These journeys occurred outside the usual safe sailing season, when sea conditions are typically more dangerous.

    The Rohingya fleeing Rakhine began their exodus in 2017 after the Myanmar military launched an offensive in the border region, forcing at least 730,000 to seek refuge in neighboring Bangladesh. Despite Myanmar denying abuses against the Rohingya, the government refuses to recognize them as citizens, labeling them as illegal immigrants.

    The crisis deepened following Myanmar’s military coup in 2021, which ignited a widespread civil war involving Rakhine State, with the Rohingya caught in the crossfire between government forces and the insurgent Arakan Army. According to UN reports, nearly 300 individuals are believed to be missing or dead at sea this year, including both Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals. In November, a boat carrying members of the Rohingya community sank near Langkawi, close to the Thailand-Malaysia border, leaving about a dozen survivors.

  • One Dead, Two Missing After Boat Capsizes in San Francisco Bay

    One Dead, Two Missing After Boat Capsizes in San Francisco Bay

    A person died and two others are missing after a triple-deck pontoon boat carrying 19 people capsized near Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, authorities reported Tuesday.

    San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen told a press conference that 11 vessels are still searching for the two missing individuals.

    Images from local TV showed the boat nearly fully submerged with only its top above water before it sank completely.

    The U.S. Coast Guard has joined other agencies in the ongoing rescue effort.

    The cause of the accident remains unclear, Crispen told reporters near the scene. Contrary to early reports, he confirmed there was no fire on board.

    The first rescue vessel to arrive was a police boat, which found an severely injured victim. Despite medical efforts, the individual died.

    Out of the 19 people onboard, 13 have been accounted for and are safe ashore, three have been hospitalized, one person has died, and two are still unaccounted for, Crispen stated.

    “We are actively searching the area,” he said. “We have 11 boats on the water, and our efforts will continue for hours to find the missing two, if possible.”

    Despite clear, sunny weather, strong eastward currents created whitecaps, according to reports from local news.

    Tourists continue to be captivated by Alcatraz, a small rocky island in the bay that housed a federal prison from 1934 to 1963. Known for its strong currents and cold waters, the prison was thought to be escape-proof. Today, Alcatraz stands as a National Historic Landmark managed by the National Park Service.

  • 53 Migrants Dead or Missing in Libya Shipwreck: UN

    53 Migrants Dead or Missing in Libya Shipwreck: UN

    A representative image depicts a ship capsizing in the ocean — Reuters

    – A boat sinks off the Libyan coast in the Mediterranean Sea.
    – Rescue teams immediately give emergency medical aid to those who survive.
    – The ship was transporting migrants and refugees from Africa to Al-Zawiya.

    —

    The UN migration agency announced Monday that 53 individuals have died or gone missing following the sinking of a boat in the Mediterranean Sea near Libya. Only two people have been rescued so far.

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that the vessel capsized north of Zuwara on Friday.

    “During a search and rescue operation conducted by Libyan authorities, only two Nigerian women were rescued,” the IOM said in a statement. One survivor recounted that she had lost her husband, while the other said she lost her two babies in the disaster.

    The IOM added that its teams provided medical assistance to both survivors immediately after they disembarked.

    According to survivor testimonies, the boat, carrying migrants and refugees from various African countries, left Al-Zawiya, Libya, around 11 p.m. on February 5. About six hours later, it capsized after taking on water.

    The agency expressed mourning over the lives lost in what is now a recurring tragedy along the central Mediterranean route.

    The Geneva-based organization highlighted that trafficking and smuggling networks are preying on migrants traveling from North Africa to Southern Europe. These criminal groups are profiting from perilous journeys on unseaworthy vessels, putting individuals through severe abuse.

    It urged for increased international cooperation to dismantle these networks, and emphasized the importance of establishing safe, legal migration pathways to lower risks and prevent future tragedies.