At least 53 people are dead or missing after a migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya, with only two survivors rescued, according to the United Nations migration agency.
The incident occurred north of the coastal city of Zuwara and is part of a widening pattern of deadly crossings along the central Mediterranean route.
The International Organization for Migration said the boat overturned after taking on water several hours into its journey.
According to survivor accounts, the vessel departed from Al-Zawiya in northwestern Libya at about 11pm on February 5.
Approximately six hours later, the boat capsized while carrying migrants and refugees of African nationalities.
Only two Nigerian women survived and were rescued during a search and rescue operation conducted by Libyan authorities.
“Only two Nigerian women were rescued during a search and rescue operation by Libyan authorities,” the IOM said.
One survivor reported losing her husband, while the other said she had “lost her two babies in the tragedy”.
The IOM said its teams provided the survivors with emergency medical care following their disembarkation.
The latest incident adds to an escalating death toll along the central Mediterranean migration route.
The IOM said at least 484 refugees and migrants have been reported dead or missing on the route so far this year.
According to the agency’s Missing Migrants Project, more than 1,300 people have gone missing in the central Mediterranean in 2025.
The agency said January alone accounted for at least 375 reported deaths or disappearances, many linked to what it described as “invisible” shipwrecks during extreme weather.
“These repeated incidents underscore the persistent and deadly risks faced by migrants and refugees attempting the dangerous crossing.”
The Geneva-based agency said trafficking and smuggling networks continue to exploit migrants in North Africa, using unseaworthy boats and exposing passengers to severe abuse.
“IOM mourns the loss of life in yet another deadly incident along the central Mediterranean route.”
The agency called for stronger international cooperation to dismantle smuggling networks and for the expansion of safe and regular migration pathways to reduce fatalities and save lives.