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Four dead as two migrant boats capsize off Libyan coast
At least four people died after two overcrowded boats carrying nearly 100 migrants capsized off Libya's coast on Saturday, rescue workers reported. The fatalities were confirmed among 26 Bangladeshi nationals aboard one vessel, while the status of passengers on a second boat-carrying around 70 mostly Sudanese migrants-remains unclear.
Incident details and rescue efforts
The boats departed from Al Khums, a port city in northwestern Libya, attempting the perilous central Mediterranean route toward Italy-a crossing the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) calls the "deadliest known migration route in the world." The Libyan Red Crescent shared images of aid being administered to survivors, alongside black body bags on the ground.
Broader migration crisis
Hundreds die annually on this route, often in overloaded, unseaworthy vessels. In 2025 alone, over 1,500 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean, with nearly a third of those cases occurring off Libya's coast, according to IOM data.
Libya remains the primary departure point for migrants on the central Mediterranean route, with nearly 59,000 arrivals in Europe this year, per Frontex, the EU's border agency.
Recent tragedies
Earlier this week, another boat capsized after leaving Libya, leaving dozens missing and presumed dead. Seven survivors-from Sudan, Somalia, Cameroon, and Nigeria-were rescued after drifting at sea for nearly a week.
The central Mediterranean remains a graveyard for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty, with Libya's unstable conditions exacerbating the risks.
UN International Organization for Migration (IOM)
