Two Nigerians have been rescued, while two others remain missing after a migrant boat carrying 49 people capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya.
The International Organisation for Migration confirmed the tragic incident on Thursday, saying 42 passengers are feared dead, while only seven survivors were found.
According to the IOM, the rubber boat left Zuwara, northwest Libya, around 3 a.m. on November 3 but capsized six hours later after its engine failed due to strong waves.
“The vessel capsized roughly six hours later after high waves caused the engine to fail,” the IOM said.
It explained that all 49 passengers — 47 men and two women — were thrown into the sea.
“The boat drifted for six days before Libyan authorities rescued seven men — four from Sudan, two from Nigeria, and one from Cameroon — on November 8,” the IOM added.
The missing persons include 29 from Sudan, eight from Somalia, three from Cameroon, and two Nigerians.
The agency said its team “provided the survivors with emergency medical care, water, and food upon arrival at the disembarkation point in coordination with relevant authorities.”
This tragedy adds to the growing number of deaths on the Central Mediterranean route, which remains the world’s deadliest migration path.
The IOM said more than 1,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean in 2025 alone, with over 25,600 deaths recorded since 2014.
“With this latest shipwreck, the total has risen even further, reinforcing the urgent need for strengthened regional cooperation,” the organisation said.
It also urged countries to create “safe and regular migration pathways” and improve search and rescue operations to prevent more loss of life.
