The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has confirmed that 21 migrants lost their lives in the Mediterranean over the past week while attempting the perilous journey from Libya’s shores to Europe.
In its latest weekly report, shared on Facebook, the IOM stated that two people remain missing following a search and rescue operation. At the same time, 858 migrants who had set sail from the Libyan coast, mainly from Tripoli, Zawiya, and Sabratha, were intercepted at sea and forcibly returned to Libya.
According to the IOM, the group included 657 men, 93 women, and 40 children. They were transferred to detention centers in Tripoli, where concerns over overcrowding, lack of medical care, and reports of abuse remain widespread.
The statistics paint a grim picture of the migration crisis in Libya. From January until September 20, at least 458 migrants have died attempting the Mediterranean crossing. During the same period, Libyan authorities, supported by international coordination, intercepted and returned more than 15,800 men, 1,624 women, and 640 children.
Human rights groups have long criticized the policy of returning migrants to Libya, pointing to the severe risks they face in detention facilities, including extortion, abuse, and trafficking. Despite these warnings, interceptions continue to rise as migrant flows intensify.
The central Mediterranean remains the most active and dangerous route for migrants from Africa and the Middle East seeking safety and opportunity in Europe. The IOM and other humanitarian organizations have called for urgent international action to improve rescue operations, expand safe pathways, and address the root causes driving migration through Libya.
