15 Bodies Found After Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Libya’s Coast
Libyan security and medical sources have reported that at least 15 bodies, including that of a girl, have been recovered following the capsizing of a migrant boat off the eastern coast of the country. According to these sources, the boat had at least 61 passengers on board and is believed to have sunk last week in the Mediterranean Sea. Two security officials stated that the bodies were severely decomposed due to the passage of time and that more bodies might be found along the coast in the coming days. Search operations are ongoing. In a separate incident, Libyan health authorities reported that at least 13 rescued migrants are receiving treatment after another boat capsized near the coastal city of Khoms. Libya is one of the main migration routes for individuals fleeing war, insecurity, and poverty in African countries and parts of the Middle East, seeking to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, some migrants choose Libya as a destination for work due to its oil-based economy. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has stated that since the beginning of 2025, more than one thousand people have died or gone missing along the central Mediterranean route. It also noted that in 2024, over 2,450 people lost their lives across the Mediterranean Sea. According to the organization’s statistics, from 2014 to 2025, nearly 25,000 migrants and refugees have drowned or disappeared on this route, making the Mediterranean one of the deadliest migration pathways in the world.
