Smugglers are cashing in on deadly Mediterranean crossings, leaving migrants exposed to horrific abuse and life-threatening risks. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has issued a stark warning after a rubber boat packed with 55 African migrants capsized off Libya’s coast, resulting in 53 dead or missing.
Only Two Survivors Rescued After Overloaded Boat Sinks
The ill-fated vessel overturned north of Zuwara, Libya, on 6 February. Libyan authorities managed to pull just two Nigerian women from the sea during rescue efforts. Both survivors received urgent medical care immediately after reaching shore. One woman tragically lost her husband in the disaster, while the other revealed she had lost her two babies.
The boat had set sail from Al-Zawiya just before midnight on 5 February. It capsized roughly six hours into the journey, leaving most passengers to drown in the choppy waters. The rubber dinghy was severely overloaded—a grim routine in smuggling rings that prioritise profit over human lives.
Libya: A Danger Zone for Migrants Trying to Reach Europe
- Libya remains a primary launch point for migrants hoping to reach Europe.
- Human traffickers cram migrants into unseaworthy vessels to maximise profits.
- January 2026 alone saw around 375 deaths or missing persons on this deadly route.
- Over 1,300 migrants disappeared in 2025 along the central Mediterranean, with more than 33,000 fatal cases recorded since 2014.
The IOM condemns the traffickers who “exploit migrants along the central Mediterranean route, profiting from dangerous crossings in unseaworthy boats and exposing people to severe abuse and protection risks.”
Calls for Urgent Action Amid Ongoing Crisis
International experts say stronger cooperation and protection-focused policies are critical. The IOM stressed:
“We need safer, regular migration pathways and a coordinated response to dismantle smuggling and trafficking networks.”
However, Libya’s political chaos and fractured coastline control make enforcing safety and rescue operations nearly impossible. European nations also remain divided on migration policy and burden-sharing, delaying effective action.
Tragedies like this latest capsizing near Zuwara are grim reminders of the urgent need to overhaul the current migration system before more lives are lost at sea.
