Fifty-three people are dead or missing after a boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast, the UN migration agency said on Monday. Only two survivors were rescued.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the boat overturned north of Zuwara on Friday, in the latest disaster involving migrants attempting the perilous crossing to Europe. The vessel, carrying migrants and refugees of African nationalities, departed from Al-Zawiya, Libya, at around 11pm on February 5 and capsized approximately six hours later after taking on water.
The two survivors, both Nigerian women, were rescued by Libyan authorities. One told officials she lost her husband in the tragedy, while the other said she lost her two babies. The IOM provided emergency medical care upon disembarkation.
The agency condemned the exploitation by trafficking and smuggling networks, which profit from dangerous crossings in unseaworthy boats. It called for stronger international cooperation and safe, regular migration pathways to reduce risks and save lives.
A European Commission spokesperson said Brussels was addressing the root causes of irregular migration and promoting legal, safe routes to the European Union. They added that the tragedy underscored the need to intensify joint efforts with partners, including Libya, to combat migrant smugglers.
According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, more than 33,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean between 2014 and the end of 2025. Last year, 1,873 were recorded dead or missing, including 1,342 on the central Mediterranean route.
