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Rohingya crisis: Boat capsizes, leaving 14 dead Rohingya crisis: UN chief warns of 'humanitarian nightmare'
(about 7 hours later)
At least 14 Rohingya people - all women and children - have drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Bangladesh, police say. Violence in Myanmar has spiralled into the "the world's fastest-developing refugee emergency" and a "humanitarian nightmare", the UN chief has warned.
Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on Myanmar to end its military operation, which has sparked the exodus of over 500,000 Rohingya since August.
He also demanded "unfettered access" to the region to deliver humanitarian aid.
Earlier, at least 14 Rohingya, all women and children, drowned after their boat capsized off Bangladesh's coast.
Survivors say the boat overturned after apparently hitting a submerged object near the coastal city of Cox's Bazar.Survivors say the boat overturned after apparently hitting a submerged object near the coastal city of Cox's Bazar.
Police told the BBC that 40 people were on board the vessel.
In the past 48 hours, about 2,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh by boat, fleeing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state.In the past 48 hours, about 2,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh by boat, fleeing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state.
Witnesses said that the boat capsized just metres from the coast. In Thursday's briefing to the UN Security Council, Mr Guterres said: "The situation has spiralled into the world's fastest developing refugee emergency, a humanitarian and human rights nightmare."
"They drowned before our eyes," Mohammad Sohel, a shopkeeper, was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency. "We have received bone-chilling accounts from those who fled - mainly women, children and the elderly.
"Minutes later, the waves washed the bodies to the beach," he said. "These testimonials point to excessive violence and serious violations of human rights, including indiscriminate firing of weapons, the use of landmines against civilians and sexual violence."
Nine of the victims were children and the others women, police official Chailaw Marma told the BBC. Mr Guterres also warned that "the failure to address the systematic violence could result in a spill over into central Rakhine where an additional 250,000 Muslims could potentially face displacement".
This comes as the UN says a planned visit to Rakhine has been postponed by the authorities.
A UN spokesperson in Yangon initially told the BBC no reason was given for the move - but later said it was due to bad weather.
They said the government had told them the trip would happen next week.
More than 500,000 Rohingya - the majority of whom are Muslim - have fled across the border to Bangladesh amid reports of military atrocities.
UN aid personnel were forced to leave Rakhine when the military began a crackdown on Rohingya militants behind attacks on security personnel in August.UN aid personnel were forced to leave Rakhine when the military began a crackdown on Rohingya militants behind attacks on security personnel in August.
Rohingya who have crossed the border accuse Myanmar's military, backed by Buddhist mobs, of trying to drive them out with a campaign of beatings, killings and village burnings. Images and reports from journalists confirm many villages have been razed. Fleeing Rohingya - the majority of whom are Muslim - accuse Myanmar's military, backed by Buddhist mobs, of trying to drive them out with a campaign of beatings, killings and village burnings.
Images and reports from journalists confirm many villages have been razed.
But the military say they are targeting only militants.But the military say they are targeting only militants.
Earlier this week, they said the bodies of 45 Hindus killed by Rohingya militants had been found in a mass grave.