At least 53 people, including two babies, have died or gone missing after an inflatable boat carrying migrants sank off the Libyan coast. This incident marks the latest deadly mishap on the perilous central Mediterranean route toward Europe.
Details of the Shipwreck
The vessel, loaded with 55 African migrants, set off from the western Libyan town of Zawaiya just before midnight on Thursday. Approximately six hours into the journey, the boat started taking on water and capsized Friday morning north of Zuwara.
Libyan authorities rescued two Nigerian women from the wreckage. One survivor reported losing her husband in the disaster, while the other mourned the loss of her two babies.
Trafficking Networks and Risks
Smuggling operations along this route continue to exploit migrants by deploying unseaworthy vessels from unstable Libya to European destinations. These networks profit from the chaos in the North African nation.
Current figures show 484 migrants dead or missing on the central Mediterranean route in 2026. January’s Cyclone Harry intensified the dangers, contributing to higher risks. Last year alone recorded over 1,300 such fatalities.
Libya’s Role as Transit Hub
Since the 2011 uprising that ousted longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi, Libya has become the primary launch point for migrants escaping conflict and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. The country’s porous borders with six nations facilitate illegal crossings.
Migrants often board overcrowded, poorly equipped rubber boats. Those intercepted face detention in facilities plagued by severe abuses, including forced labor, beatings, rape, and torture—conditions described by investigators as crimes against humanity. Families frequently pay ransoms to secure releases, only for migrants to attempt the sea crossing again.
