Scores of migrants and refugees are feared dead after a rubber boat carrying passengers from several African countries overturned off the coast of Libya, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has confirmed.
The agency announced the incident on Monday, adding that the boat was carrying migrants and refugees from various African countries.
IOM said only two people — both Nigerian women — survived the tragedy and were rescued by Libyan authorities on Friday.
According to IOM, the vessel departed from the coastal city of al-Zawiya in north-western Libya around 11:00pm local time before capsizing several hours later near Zuwara after taking on water.
Survivors told aid workers that the boat overturned in the early hours of Friday, roughly six hours into the journey.
One of the women said she lost her husband, while the other reported the deaths of her two infants. Both survivors received emergency medical treatment from IOM teams.
The agency said nearly 500 migrants have been reported dead or missing on the Libya–Mediterranean route since the start of 2026 alone.
In January, at least 375 people were declared missing or dead following a series of unreported shipwrecks during severe winter weather, with officials warning the actual toll could be far higher.
Libya has remained a major departure point for sub-Saharan African migrants seeking entry into Europe since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, despite repeated maritime disasters.
IOM noted that many boats that sink are never officially reported, leaving victims unaccounted for and families without closure.
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The agency also raised concerns over worsening conditions for migrants inside Libya, citing reports of torture, trafficking, forced labour and extortion by both state and non-state actors, including armed groups.
It added that smuggling networks continue to profit by forcing desperate migrants onto overcrowded and unsafe vessels, contributing to the growing death toll.
IOM has called for stronger international cooperation to dismantle trafficking rings and expand safe, legal migration routes.
Several countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Norway and Sierra Leone, have urged Libyan authorities to close migrant detention centres, where rights organisations allege widespread abuse, torture and killings.
Despite the risks and mounting fatalities, migrants continue to attempt the dangerous Mediterranean crossing in search of safety and opportunity.