Two Nigerians Among Dozens Feared Dead After Libya Boat Capsizes in Mediterranean Tragedy

Two Nigerian migrants are presumed dead following a boat disaster in the central Mediterranean, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has confirmed.

The incident occurred on November 8, when a vessel carrying 49 migrants and refugees overturned after its engine failed amid strong waves, tossing passengers into the sea. The boat had departed from Zuwara, Libya, on November 3, en route to Europe.

Only seven survivors, including two Nigerians, were rescued after drifting for six days. The remaining 42 passengers, among them two other Nigerians, are now presumed dead. Others lost include 29 Sudanese, eight Somalis, and three Cameroonians, highlighting the increasing dangers faced by migrants fleeing conflict and poverty across Africa.

IOM said survivors received immediate medical care, food, and water upon disembarkation. The organisation warned that the incident underscores the perilous nature of the Central Mediterranean route, which has already claimed over 1,000 lives in 2025, making it one of the deadliest migration corridors worldwide.

“This tragic event, coming just weeks after other deadly incidents off Surman and Lampedusa, shows the persistent dangers faced by migrants and refugees,” IOM noted, calling for safer migration pathways, stronger regional cooperation, and improved search-and-rescue operations.

The Mediterranean Sea has seen repeated disasters involving overcrowded, poorly maintained boats operated by smugglers. In December 2023, a similar wreck off Libya left more than 60 people missing and presumed dead, with many other incidents recorded since.

Libya remains a key departure point for Africans attempting the perilous journey to Europe, despite the high number of casualties reported every year.