Babies among 53 migrants feared dead after boat capsizes off Libyan coast

The boat capsized in the central Mediterranean, the world’s deadliest migration route

Fifty-three migrants, including two babies, are feared dead after a rubber boat carrying 55 people capsized off the coast of Libya, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Monday.

Two Nigerian women were rescued after the vessel overturned north of Zuwara, Libya, in the early hours of Friday morning. One survivor said they had lost their husband, while the other reported losing her two babies when the boat sank.

The boat, which was carrying migrants and refugees from African countries, departed from al-Zawiya, Libya, at around 11pm on Thursday 5 February. It capsized around six hours later after taking on water.

It brings the total number of migrants reported dead or missing on the central Mediterranean route – which is the world’s deadliest – to at least 484 so far in 2026, according to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project.

The vessel (not pictured) overturned in the early hours of Friday morning (Getty)

There are believed to have been hundreds more deaths that have not been recorded, the UN organisation said.

In 2025, more than 1,300 migrants died or went missing on the central Mediterranean route.

The IOM said in a statement that trafficking networks “continue to exploit migrants along the central Mediterranean route, profiting from dangerous crossings in unseaworthy boats while exposing people to severe abuse and protection risks”.

Officials from the organisation have previously warned that smugglers are using increasingly flimsy and cheap boats, partly in response to the destruction of migrant boats by government authorities in departure countries.

The statement continued: “IOM stresses the need for stronger international cooperation and protection-centred responses to address smuggling and trafficking networks, alongside safe and regular migration pathways to reduce risks and save lives.”

The Libya incident comes days after 15 migrants died near the Greek island of Chios following a collision between a coastguard patrol vessel and a speedboat carrying migrants.

Greek coastguard officers carry out a rescue operation at a port on the eastern Aegean island of Chios, Greece, earlier this month (Politischios.gr/AP)

A total of 24 migrants, including 11 children, were hospitalised on the island of Chios following the collision late on Tuesday night.

Two coastguard officers were also injured, with one remaining in hospital on Wednesday, according to the coastguard.

The Greek coastguard said in a statement that one of its patrol boats had come across the speedboat making its way towards Chios without its navigation lights on. The speedboat refused to stop despite sound and visual signals being given by the patrol boat crew, and changed direction, colliding with the patrol boat and capsizing.