Many Nigerians are feared dead or missing after a rubber boat conveying migrants capsized off the coast of Libya, with at least 53 persons reportedly dead or unaccounted for.
The International Organisation for Migration disclosed the incident in a statement published on its website on Monday, noting that the tragedy occurred north of Zuwara, Libya.
According to the IOM, the vessel, which was transporting about 55 migrants and refugees of different African nationalities, overturned on Friday while attempting to cross the Central Mediterranean route.
The organisation said only two Nigerian women were rescued during a search-and-rescue operation carried out by Libyan authorities.
PUNCH Metro gathered that one of the survivors told officials she lost her husband in the incident, while the other said her two babies also died when the boat capsized.
“IOM mourns the loss of life in yet another deadly incident along the Central Mediterranean route,” the organisation stated, adding that its teams, in collaboration with relevant authorities, provided emergency medical care to the rescued women after disembarkation.
Further findings revealed that the boat departed Al-Zawiya, Libya, at about 11 p.m. on February 5. About six hours into the journey, the vessel reportedly began taking in water before eventually overturning.
IOM data showed that at least 375 migrants were reported dead or missing in January alone, following several largely unrecorded shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean, many of which occurred amid harsh weather conditions.
According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, over 1,300 migrants have been reported missing along the route since the beginning of 2025.
The latest incident has brought the number of migrants reported dead or missing on the Central Mediterranean route in 2026 to no fewer than 484.
The organisation warned that human traffickers and smugglers continue to exploit migrants by subjecting them to perilous journeys in unseaworthy boats, exposing them to serious abuse and protection risks.
It stressed the need for stronger international cooperation, protection-driven responses and the expansion of safe and regular migration pathways to reduce trafficking, minimise risks and save lives.