Geneva - The United Nations migration agency said Monday that 53 people were dead or missing after a boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast. "According to survivor accounts, the boat — carrying migrants and refugees of African nationalities departed from Al-Zawiya, Libya, at around 11:00 p.m. on February 5. "IOM mourns the loss of life in yet another deadly incident along the Central Mediterranean route." It called for stronger international cooperation to tackle the networks, alongside safe and regular migration pathways to reduce risks and save lives. According to the IOM, at least 375 migrants were reported dead or missing following shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean in January alone, with hundreds more deaths believed to have gone unrecorded.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 09, 2026 14:11 UTC