Migrant boat capsizes off Libya, 53 dead or missing
Two Nigerian women survived after a rubber dinghy carrying 55 migrants capsized off Libya, with 53 dead or missing and nearly 500 killed or missing this year, per IOM.
A rubber dinghy carrying 55 passengers, including two babies, overturned off the Libyan coast. The only survivors, two Nigerian women, were rescued by Libyan authorities. The boat had departed from the coastal city of al-Zawiya in north-western Libya and sank after taking on water about six hours later, north of Zuwara. The IOM confirmed the fatalities and noted that the two survivors received emergency medical care on site. One woman said she had lost her husband, while the other reported that her two babies had died, underscoring the personal tragedies behind the ongoing crossings.
The IOM also highlighted a grim year so far, with almost 500 migrants reported dead or missing trying to cross the central Mediterranean from Libya. The true toll is feared higher due to reporting gaps and ships that go unseen in harsh winter conditions.
Libya has long been a staging point for migrants seeking Europe, a situation compounded by dire conditions inside the country and a range of abuses documented by UN rights officials. While some rescue efforts succeed, many journeys end in tragedy, prompting renewed calls for safer migration pathways and stronger protections for refugees and migrants.
