53 migrants, including infants, drown as boat capsizes off Libya coast

At least 53 migrants, including two babies, drowned after a rubber boat carrying 55 people capsized off the coast of Libya, underlining the deadly risks faced by those attempting the perilous Mediterranean crossing, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said.

Only two women rescued after boat overturns

According to International Organization for Migration, the overcrowded rubber dinghy overturned near the coastal town of Zuwara just six hours after departure. Libyan search and rescue teams managed to save only two Nigerian women.

One of the survivors told rescuers that she had lost her husband in the tragedy, while the other said she had lost her two babies when the vessel capsized and rapidly filled with water.

Rising death toll in Central Mediterranean

The IOM said January alone witnessed at least 375 migrants reported dead or missing in the Central Mediterranean due to multiple “invisible” shipwrecks, many of which go unrecorded. Extreme weather conditions have further worsened the risks for migrants using fragile boats.

The latest tragedy brings the number of migrants reported dead or missing on the Central Mediterranean route since the beginning of this year to at least 484. The agency added that more than 1,300 migrants went missing on this route in 2025, making it one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors.

Libya route remains highly dangerous

The Libyan route remains a major transit path for migrants fleeing conflict, violence, and poverty in Africa and parts of the Middle East, hoping to reach Europe. The journey involves treacherous desert crossings followed by dangerous sea voyages across the Mediterranean Sea, often in unseaworthy boats operated by smugglers.

Pope calls for compassion towards migrants

In a video message last September, Pope Leo XIV praised the people of Lampedusa for their hospitality towards migrants. He stressed that migrants are “not enemies, but brothers and sisters” and urged the world to remember that justice cannot exist without compassion and listening to the suffering of others.