A rubber boat carrying 55 passengers, including two babies, has overturned off the coast of Libya, the UN migration agency says. The only survivors, two Nigerian women, were rescued by the Libyan authorities on Friday, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) announced on Monday. The boat sank after taking on water approximately six hours after departing from the coastal city of al-Zawiya in north-western Libya. The IOM says that almost 500 migrants have been reported dead or missing trying the cross the Mediterranean Sea from Libya so far in 2026. Libya has become a staging point for migrants from sub-Saharan Africa seeking to reach Europe since long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed in 2011.
Tragic Capsizing: 53 Lives Lost in Migrant Boat Disaster
Tragic Capsizing: 53 Lives Lost in Migrant Boat Disaster
A tragic incident off the coast of Libya has claimed the lives of 53 migrants, leaving just two survivors. The boat capsized while attempting a perilous crossing to Europe.
A rubber dinghy transporting 55 migrants capsized off Libya, leading to the deaths of 53 individuals, including two infants. The tragedy occurred after the boat departed from al-Zawiya and sank approximately six hours later. Measures to dismantle smuggling networks are urgently needed as the Mediterranean remains a hazardous route for desperate migrants seeking safety in Europe.
