On Monday, the humanitarian organization SOS Méditerranée, based in Marseille, France, announced the rescue of 25 migrants off the coast of Libya.
The operation was carried out by the Ocean Viking rescue ship, which responded to a distress call and brought the survivors on board. They are now receiving medical care and humanitarian support from SOS Méditerranée and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Among those rescued were five unaccompanied minors, three women, and two children under the age of four. The migrants were found stranded at sea after their vessel encountered trouble during the dangerous crossing of the Central Mediterranean, the deadliest migration route in the world.
Their location was identified through Alarm Phone, a hotline used by migrants in distress. Italian authorities later designated Marina di Carrara, north of Pisa, as a safe port, requiring the Ocean Viking to travel 1,222 kilometers to disembark the migrants.
Libya has long been a key transit point for migrants and refugees attempting to reach Europe. Due to its geographical location and porous borders, the country has become a primary route for people fleeing conflict, poverty, and persecution in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Following the collapse of Libya’s government in 2011, human smuggling networks expanded, taking advantage of the lack of security and weak law enforcement.
Thousands of migrants travel through Libya each year, many of them facing exploitation, detention, and abuse in a country struggling with political instability and economic turmoil. Reports from international organizations, including the United Nations, have documented horrific conditions in Libyan detention centers, where migrants often suffer extortion, torture, and forced labor.
With few legal pathways to reach Europe, many migrants attempt the dangerous sea crossing, often in overcrowded and unseaworthy boats. Smugglers charge high fees for a journey that frequently ends in tragedy. The Central Mediterranean route, which passes through Libya’s coastal waters, is one of the deadliest migration routes globally.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 247 people have drowned or gone missing in the Mediterranean since the beginning of 2025. In 2024, the death toll was significantly higher, with 2,360 recorded fatalities.
Many deaths occur just off Libya’s coast, where rescue missions struggle to reach distressed boats in time. The actual number of fatalities is likely much higher, as many shipwrecks go unreported.
Despite the increasing dangers of sea crossings, thousands continue to risk their lives, driven by wars, economic hardships, and human rights abuses in their home countries.
