Migrant Boat Overturns Off Libya’s Coast
The vessel set sail from Al-Zawiya late on February 5, departing at approximately 11:00 p.m., before overturning about six hours later north of the coastal city of Zuwara, according to the IOM, which cited testimony from survivors.
Only two people—both Nigerian women—were rescued during a search-and-rescue mission conducted by Libyan authorities, the UN agency said. One of the women reported losing her husband in the incident, while the other said her two babies perished.
“These tragedies are preventable. Urgent action is needed to protect lives and ensure safe, regular pathways on the Central Mediterranean route,” the agency stated on X.
Libya remains a major transit hub for migrants from Africa and the Middle East attempting the perilous crossing to Europe via the Central Mediterranean. The route is widely regarded as one of the world’s most dangerous, as smugglers routinely deploy overcrowded and unseaworthy boats that frequently sink or capsize before reaching European waters.
So far in 2026, at least 484 migrants have been reported dead or missing along the Central Mediterranean corridor, according to IOM data. Of that total, at least 375 deaths or disappearances were recorded in January alone, following multiple shipwrecks amid severe weather. The agency warned that the true toll is likely higher, with many cases believed to go unrecorded.
During the first week of February, Libyan authorities intercepted 244 migrants at sea and returned them to Libya.
The UN reported that in 2025 more than 1,314 migrants vanished on the Central Mediterranean route, while 27,116 others were intercepted and sent back to Libya.
“Smuggling and trafficking networks continue to profit from desperate people by sending them to sea in unseaworthy boats,” the UN stressed.
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