The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has confirmed a new migrant tragedy off the coast of Libya, where at least 42 people are missing and presumed dead after a rubber boat capsized near the Al Buri Oil Field on 8 November.
According to the IOM, the vessel had departed from Zuwara in western Libya on 3 November around 3:00 am, carrying 49 migrants and refugees — 47 men and two women. Rough seas and engine failure caused the boat to overturn approximately six hours later, throwing all passengers into the Mediterranean.
After drifting for six days, only seven survivors — four Sudanese, two Nigerians, and one Cameroonian — were rescued by Libyan authorities during a search and rescue operation. The survivors were given emergency medical treatment, food, and water at the disembarkation point, in coordination with IOM teams and local officials.
Those still missing include 29 people from Sudan, eight from Somalia, three from Cameroon, and two from Nigeria. The organisation expressed deep sorrow over the incident and reiterated its call for immediate international action to prevent further tragedies along one of the world’s deadliest migration routes.
The IOM noted that this disaster occurred just weeks after similar fatal incidents near Surman and Lampedusa, highlighting the ongoing dangers faced by migrants attempting to cross the Central Mediterranean from Libya.
According to the latest figures from IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, more than 1,000 people have already died this year on the Central Mediterranean Route. The organisation emphasised the urgent need for enhanced regional cooperation, the expansion of safe and legal migration pathways, and stronger search and rescue capabilities to save lives and address the root causes of irregular migration.