51 Migrants D£ad or M!ssing After Boat Capszes Off Libya

51 Migrants Dead or Missing After Boat Capsizes Off Libya

At least 51 migrants have been reported dead or missing after a boat carrying people toward Europe capsized off the coast of Libya, according to a migrant monitoring organization.

The incident is believed to have occurred on June 12 in the Mediterranean Sea near eastern Libya. The Abreen group, which monitors migrant activity in the region, said 10 people survived the disaster. Authorities have recovered 11 bodies, while 40 others are still unaccounted for.

Officials from the Libyan Coast Guard and the Red Crescent in Tobruk said several bodies washed ashore within the last 24 hours. Videos released by the coast guard showed rescue workers transporting bodies in white bags from the shoreline.

Libya continues to serve as a major departure point for migrants from Africa and the Middle East seeking to reach Europe. Many undertake the dangerous journey in overcrowded and poorly equipped boats organized by human traffickers, making the Mediterranean one of the world’s most hazardous migration routes.

Data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicates that more than 800 migrants were reported dead or missing along the central Mediterranean route between January 1 and May 16 this year. In 2025, more than 1,300 people lost their lives or disappeared on the same route.

Human rights organizations have consistently expressed concern about the treatment of migrants returned to Libya after being intercepted at sea, citing reports of widespread abuses in detention facilities.