Key Points

• Two Nigerians were rescued while two others died in a Mediterranean shipwreck off Libya.
• Forty-two people remain missing as IOM urges stronger search and rescue coordination.
• Over 1,000 migrants have died this year crossing the Central Mediterranean route.

Two Nigerians died and two others survived after a boat carrying migrants sank in the Mediterranean Sea, the International Organization for Migration said.

The vessel had 49 people on board when it capsized off the Libyan coast. Forty-two people are still missing and presumed dead.

Only seven survived, making it one of the latest tragedies along the Central Mediterranean route.

Boat Left Libya Before Capsizing

The migrants departed from Zuwara, a coastal town in northwest Libya, around 3 a.m. on November 3.

Survivors said high waves hit the rubber boat about six hours later, causing the engine to fail.

All 49 passengers were thrown into the water. After drifting for six days, Libyan authorities rescued seven men on November 8.

The survivors include four Sudanese, two Nigerians, and one Cameroonian. The missing are mostly from Sudan, Somalia, Cameroon, and Nigeria.

Rising Toll on the Central Mediterranean

IOM teams gave the survivors food, water, and medical aid once they reached shore.

The agency reports that over 1,000 people have already died on this route in 2025. The latest wreck pushes that number even higher.

It urged stronger regional cooperation and better rescue coordination to prevent more loss of life.

IOM Urges Safer Migration Options

“The death toll keeps climbing, which shows the need for safer and legal migration pathways,” the IOM said.

Since 2014, more than 25,600 people have died or gone missing on the Central Mediterranean route between North Africa and Italy.

Many boats are overcrowded and unfit for sea travel. Smugglers often send several at once, stretching rescue efforts beyond capacity.

The Central Mediterranean remains the world’s deadliest migration route. Each new tragedy adds to the growing calls for better protection for people seeking a safer future.