At least 53 migrants, including two children, have died or gone missing after a boat carrying 55 people capsized off the coast of Libya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Monday.
The vessel overturned on 6 February north of the city of Zuwara. With the help of authorities, two Nigerian women were rescued. One survivor told IOM staff that she lost her husband in the incident, while the other said she lost her two children. Both have been provided with emergency medical assistance.
According to survivors, the boat departed from Al-Zawiya on the night of 5 February carrying African migrants and asylum seekers. It sank roughly six hours after setting out. The IOM expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life along the perilous Central Mediterranean route.
IOM data shows that in January alone, at least 375 migrants were reported dead or missing in the Central Mediterranean due to multiple shipwrecks amid severe weather conditions. The agency warns that many deaths go unrecorded.
The Missing Migrants Project estimates that more than 1,300 migrants went missing in the Central Mediterranean in 2025, while at least 484 have been reported dead or missing so far in 2026.
IOM reiterated its concern that smuggling and trafficking networks continue to exploit migrants attempting the dangerous crossing, often forcing them onto unseaworthy vessels and exposing them to extreme protection risks.
The agency called for stronger international cooperation to dismantle trafficking networks, along with the expansion of safe and regular migration pathways to reduce deaths and prevent further tragedies.
Source: Reuters.