53 people dead or missing after migrant boat capsizes in Mediterranean
What happened: A rubber boat carrying around 55 migrants capsized off the coast of Libya in the central Mediterranean Sea in early February 2026. The incident occurred after the vessel had been at sea for several hours.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 53 people are dead or missing following the capsizing. Among those reported dead or missing are two babies. Only two Nigerian women survived and were rescued by Libyan authorities. One survivor lost her husband and the other lost her two children in the tragedy.
Location:The boat overturned north of the coastal city of Zuwara after departing from Al-Zawiya in western Libya.
This is one in a series of deadly incidents on the central Mediterranean migration route, which remains one of the world’s most dangerous paths for people attempting to reach Europe from Africa and the Middle East.
