53 migrants dead or missing in shipwreck off Libya, says United Nations

By Sabeeh Zanair :

The United Nations migration agency reported that 53 people are either dead or missing following a tragic shipwreck off the coast of Libya. The boat, which was attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea, capsized north of Zuwara on Friday. Only two survivors were rescued.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed the incident, stating that the survivors, two Nigerian women, were rescued by Libyan authorities during a search-and-rescue operation. One of the women lost her husband, while the other lost her two babies in the tragedy.

The IOM’s statement revealed that the boat, which was carrying migrants and refugees from various African countries, departed from Al-Zawiya, Libya, on the night of February 5. After approximately six hours at sea, the boat capsized after taking on water.

The IOM expressed its sorrow over the loss of life, calling it another deadly incident on the Central Mediterranean route, a perilous migration path from North Africa to Europe. The agency highlighted the role of trafficking and smuggling networks that exploit migrants by charging them for dangerous crossings in unseaworthy boats, exposing them to severe abuse and risking their lives.

The IOM also emphasized the urgent need for stronger international cooperation to tackle these smuggling networks and to establish safe and legal migration pathways, which could help reduce risks and prevent further loss of life.

With harsh weather conditions exacerbating the danger, the IOM warned that many more deaths are likely to have occurred since the start of the year. The European Commission, in response to the incident, acknowledged the importance of addressing the root causes of irregular migration and working with partners, including Libya, to combat migrant smuggling networks.

The Mediterranean remains one of the deadliest migration routes in the world. According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, over 33,000 migrants have died or gone missing attempting to cross the Mediterranean between 2014 and the end of 2025. In 2025 alone, 1,873 deaths or disappearances were recorded, with the majority occurring on the central Mediterranean route.