Two Nigerians rescued, others dead after Mediterranean shipwreck – IOM

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that two Nigerians were rescued while two others died following the capsizing of a vessel carrying 49 people in the Mediterranean Sea.

Forty-two passengers remain missing and are presumed dead.

According to the IOM, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday, seven survivors were rescued after the shipwreck off the coast of Libya, marking the latest deadly incident along the Central Mediterranean migration route.

The rubber boat carrying 49 migrants and refugees departed from Zuwara in northwest Libya at about 3 a.m. on November 3, the IOM said, citing survivor accounts.

“The vessel capsized roughly six hours later after high waves caused the engine to fail,” the agency stated.

“All passengers — 47 men and two women — were thrown overboard.

“The boat drifted for six days before Libyan authorities rescued seven men — four from Sudan, two from Nigeria, and one from Cameroon — on November 8.

“The missing passengers include 29 from Sudan, eight from Somalia, three from Cameroon, and two from Nigeria,” the IOM added.

Survivors received emergency medical care, food, and water upon arrival, in coordination with relevant authorities.

The tragedy comes weeks after other deadly incidents off Surman, Libya, and the Italian island of Lampedusa.

Data from the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project shows that the Central Mediterranean death toll has already surpassed 1,000 in 2025.

“With this latest shipwreck, the total has risen even further, reinforcing the urgent need for strengthened regional cooperation,” the IOM said, urging expanded safe migration pathways and more effective search-and-rescue operations to prevent further loss of life.

Since 2014, more than 25,600 people have died or gone missing on the Central Mediterranean route, considered the world’s deadliest migration corridor.

Factors contributing to the high death toll include the long and hazardous journey, dangerous smuggling practices, limited search-and-rescue capacity, restrictions on NGO rescue operations, and the use of unseaworthy, overcrowded inflatable boats.

The IOM noted that simultaneous launches of unsafe vessels further complicate rescue efforts, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by migrants attempting the perilous crossing from North Africa to Europe.