A rubber boat carrying 55 people capsized off the coast of northwestern Libya, leaving at least 53 dead or missing, including two babies, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Monday. The vessel overturned north of the coastal city of Zuwara on February 6, just six hours after departing from al-Zawiya late on February 5.
The IOM said its teams provided emergency medical care to the two survivors, who reported that the boat was carrying refugees and migrants from African countries. The agency coordinated with local authorities to assist the survivors.
According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, more than 1,300 people went missing along the Central Mediterranean route in 2025. This latest tragedy brings the total reported dead or missing this year to at least 484, with January alone seeing 375 deaths or disappearances due to multiple “invisible” shipwrecks amid extreme weather. The IOM warned that these incidents highlight the persistent and deadly risks faced by migrants attempting the perilous crossing.
