53 migrants, including two babies, died after a rubber boat capsized off Libya's coast on Friday, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) announced.

Article published on Monday by BBC Reporter and Presenter Jean Otalor reads, only two Nigerian women survived the tragedy. Libyan authorities rescued them after the vessel overturned approximately six hours after departing from coastal city al-Zawiya in north-western Libya. One survivor lost her husband in the incident, while the other reported both her babies had died, IOM said.

Boat was carrying 55 passengers from various African countries. It sank after taking on water in early Friday morning north of Zuwara. Survivors told IOM the rubber dinghy departed around 11:00pm local time from al-Zawiya, west of Tripoli.

IOM teams provided both survivors with emergency medical care following their rescue. Agency did not immediately clarify why news of the tragedy took several days to emerge.

This latest disaster adds to a mounting death toll in the Mediterranean Sea. IOM reports nearly 500 migrants have been confirmed dead or missing while attempting to cross from Libya during 2026 so far. January alone saw at least 375 migrants reported dead or missing after a series of shipwrecks during extreme winter weather. True toll is feared to be significantly higher.

Libya has become a major departure point for sub-Saharan African migrants seeking to reach Europe since longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed in 2011. Despite repeated tragedies, migrants continue attempting the dangerous crossing.

IOM says traffickers and smuggling networks profit by forcing people onto overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels, directly contributing to rising casualties. Many vessels that sink are never reported by people smugglers who operate them. Those who die simply vanish, leaving families without knowing what happened to their loved ones.

Agency has urged stronger international cooperation to dismantle smuggling and trafficking networks. IOM called for creation of safe and legal migration pathways to reduce deaths at sea.

Several countries, including United Kingdom, Spain, Norway and Sierra Leone, have demanded Libya shut down detention centres where rights groups report migrants face torture, abuse or death.

Source: BBC