Over 80 migrants missing after boat capsizes in Mediterranean off Libya

More than 80 migrants are feared missing after a boat carrying around 120 people capsized in the central Mediterranean shortly after departing Libya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

The vessel left the coastal town of Tajoura in northwestern Libya on April 5 in an attempt to reach Europe. According to the UN migration agency, the boat took on water during rough weather and overturned at sea , leaving dozens of people missing.

A merchant ship and a tugboat rescued 32 survivors , who were later transferred by the Italian coast guard to the island of Lampedusa in southern Italy. Authorities also recovered two bodies , while search efforts continued for the missing migrants.

Libya has long served as a major departure point for migrants from Africa and the Middle East attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean toward Europe, often aboard overcrowded and unsafe boats.

Emerging reports suggest that some of those missing may include migrants from Pakistan , though officials are still verifying the identities of those on board.

The tragedy comes amid a surge in migrant deaths on the Mediterranean route this year. According to the IOM, nearly 1,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean in 2026 , including about 765 in the central Mediterranean , making it one of the deadliest starts to a year since 2014 .

The latest disaster also follows another shipwreck near Lampedusa days earlier , when 19 migrants were found dead and dozens were rescued after a separate vessel ran into trouble at sea.

Reacting to the growing toll, IOM Director General Amy Pope warned that the repeated tragedies show how “far too many people are still risking their lives on dangerous routes” while fleeing conflict, poverty and instability in their home countries.