Late this year, Kontinentalist collaborated with The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to produce a story on Rohingya refugees who risk their lives crossing the Andaman Sea in search of refuge in Southeast Asia.
Over 2000 Rohingya embarked on the maritime journey since January, but many do not make it to their destination. The boats that take them across open seas are often unequipped for the long journey, and their passengers, facing abuse and starvation at the hands of human traffickers, end up drowning or go missing at sea. The tragedy is eerily reminiscent of the 2015 Andaman Sea crisis, which saw thousands of Rohingya stranded at sea as their access to food, water, and sanitation dwindled.