• Two boats carrying over 500 refugees, mostly Rohingya, have gone missing in South-East Asia, with one boat reportedly sinking and the other losing contact shortly after departure.
• The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN's refugee agency UNHCR have expressed grave concern over the potential loss of life in the possible boat disaster involving Rohingya refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
• Escalating conflict and worsening humanitarian conditions in Myanmar, along with limited assistance in refugee camps in Bangladesh, are contributing to an increase in perilous sea journeys by people seeking safety and protection.

Two UN organizations have raised the alarm over a possible boat disaster in South-East Asia involving more than 500 refugees.

Two boats full of migrants set off from Myanmar's coast in recent days, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN's refugee agency UNHCR said on Thursday.

According to preliminary reports, one boat carrying around 250 people is said to have sunk on July 8 while contact with a second boat with about 280 people was lost shortly after departure.

The refugees were apparently mostly Rohingya, members of the Muslim minority that have suffered persecution for decades in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar.

They are also said to include people from the huge Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh.

"While the incidents and casualty figures have yet to be officially confirmed, UNHCR and IOM are gravely concerned by the potentially devastating loss of life," the organizations said.

"Escalating conflict and a worsening humanitarian situation in Myanmar, along with limited assistance and opportunities in refugee camps in Bangladesh, contribute to increasing numbers of people attempting perilous sea journeys in search of safety and protection," the statement said.