At least four individuals have died following the capsizing of two boats carrying nearly 100 migrants off the coast of Libya. Rescue workers reported that the fatalities included passengers from a boat with 26 Bangladeshi nationals. The Libyan Red Crescent has yet to confirm any additional deaths related to a second boat, which was carrying around 70 mostly Sudanese individuals.
These boats were navigating the central Mediterranean route, noted by the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) as the most hazardous migration passage globally. Departing from Al Khums, a port city in northwestern Libya, the boats encountered perilous conditions.
The Libyan Red Crescent has released images of their crew assisting survivors and has documented scenes involving the deceased. Each year, numerous individuals attempt this crossing to southern Europe, often under dangerous and overcrowded circumstances. Data from the IOM indicates that over 1,500 people have died or are missing in the Mediterranean in 2025, with approximately one-third of those incidents occurring off the Libyan coast.
According to Frontex, the European Union’s border security agency, Libya has been the primary departure point for nearly 59,000 migrants who have arrived in Europe via the central Mediterranean route this year. Earlier in the week, reports emerged regarding dozens of migrants presumed dead after their small boat capsized in the Mediterranean. Seven survivors, hailing from Sudan, Somalia, Cameroon, and Nigeria, were rescued after being lost at sea for nearly a week. These repeated instances raise questions about the safety and management of migrant crossings in the region.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgkz5k5erzgo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss