Tragic Shipwreck Claims Dozens of Lives Off Libyan Coast
At least 42 people are now presumed dead following the capsizing of a migrant vessel off the coast of Libya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed on Wednesday, 12 November 2025. This latest tragedy adds to the grim tally of lives lost in the perilous Central Mediterranean crossing.
Survivors' Harrowing Ordeal
The ill-fated journey began when a rubber boat carrying 47 men and two women departed from the coastal city of Zuwara in northwestern Libya. According to the IOM, the vessel's engine failed in high waves around dawn on 3 November. The seven survivors endured a six-day ordeal, stranded at sea before Libyan authorities finally located them during a rescue mission near the al-Buri Oil Field on Saturday, 8 November.
The IOM has since provided the survivors with urgent medical care, food, and water. They have been transferred to the capital, Tripoli, where they are reported to be in a stable condition, suffering from sunburn and skin irritation caused by prolonged exposure to seawater.
A Deepening Regional Crisis
The nationalities of those missing highlight the diverse origins of those attempting the crossing. The IOM stated that the 42 missing individuals comprise 29 Sudanese, eight Somalis, three Cameroonians, and two Nigerians.
This incident is not isolated. Libya has long been a primary transit point for migrants and refugees fleeing conflict and poverty across Africa and the Middle East. The country's instability, which intensified after the NATO-backed uprising that toppled Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, has facilitated a booming and deadly smuggling trade.
Just last month, a separate migrant boat made of wood capsized after departing from al-Zawiya in northwestern Libya. That disaster claimed 18 lives, while another 64 people from Sudan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan survived.
According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, this latest shipwreck contributes to a devastating statistic: more than 1,000 people have died in the Central Mediterranean since the start of 2025, with over 500 of those fatalities occurring off the coast of Libya alone.
