At least 53 migrants are presumed dead or missing after a boat capsized off Libya's coast on February 5. The vessel carried 55 African nationals, including Nigerians, and only two women survived.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reports the survivors received medical aid and are coping with devastating losses. One lost her husband; the other, her two babies.
The boat sank six hours after departing Al-Zawiya, Libya. IOM warns human trafficking networks exploit migrants, subjecting them to dangerous journeys. Over 1,300 migrants have gone missing on this route in 2025, with 484 dead or missing in 2026.
