The UN migration agency reported on Monday that 53 people are dead or missing following the capsizing of a migrant boat in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast, with only two survivors rescued.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the boat overturned north of Zuwara on Friday, marking yet another deadly incident involving migrants attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean in hopes of reaching Europe.
According to the IOM, the two survivors - both Nigerian women - received emergency medical care upon disembarkation. One survivor reported losing her husband, while the other tragically lost her two babies in the disaster.
“The boat, carrying migrants and refugees of African nationalities, departed from Al-Zawiya, Libya, around 11:00 PM on February 5. Approximately six hours later, it capsized after taking on water,” the agency said.
The Geneva-based organization warned that human trafficking and smuggling networks continue to exploit migrants along the route from North Africa to Southern Europe, profiting from dangerous crossings on unseaworthy vessels while exposing people to severe abuse.
The IOM called for stronger international cooperation to dismantle these networks and expand safe, regular migration pathways to prevent further loss of life.
The European Commission emphasized the urgent need to address the root causes of irregular migration and promote legal and safe routes to the EU. “These tragic events underline the importance of intensifying joint efforts with our partners, including Libya, to prevent dangerous journeys and combat criminal smuggling networks that endanger lives,” a spokesperson said.
The IOM’s Missing Migrants Project reported that over 33,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean between 2014 and 2025. Last year alone, 1,873 people were recorded as dead or missing, including 1,342 along the central Mediterranean route.
