18 migrants dead and 50 missing after capsize off Libyan coast

On July 29th, the International Organization for Migration reported that at least 80 migrants died on July 26th and 27th, and 50 are missing following the capsize of a boat off the coast near the eastern Libyan city of Tobruk, according to the Libya Review.

The International Organization for Migration stated that the event is “a stark reminder of the deadly risks people are forced to take in search of safety and opportunities.”

Libya is a migration hub due to its shared borders with Egypt and sub-Saharan Africa, and its northern border on the Mediterranean Sea is a popular route to Europe from North Africa. 

The International Organization for Migration has highlighted that many migrants in Libya are exploited, abused, and travel on life-threatening journeys. The organization reported recently that by July 12th, 12,338 migrants had been stopped and returned to Libya so far in 2025.

So far, ten survivors have been rescued, with a diplomatic source revealing that all migrants were Egyptian nationals, according to the Libya Review.

The bodies recovered, from a beach around 25 kilometres east of Tobruk, according to a Libyan coastguard official, have been repatriated to Egypt whilst the survivors are currently held in a facility managed by the Libyan department for combating irregular migration.

Calls from humanitarian groups for stronger international efforts to deal with migrant smuggling networks to prevent these tragedies have been growing as the death toll in the Mediterranean sea rises.

On May 12th Maghrebi reported on the deaths of three children in a boat’s attempt to cross from Libya to Italy, and in a previous incident in March of 2024 60 migrants died during a voyage.

Efforts to address the issue include the deployment of two naval frigates by the Greek Navy to surveil and deter migrant blocks in order to block irregular migrant crossings from Libya to Greece.

Greece and Libya have also recently agreed a deal for Greek forces to provide specialist training to Libyan coast guards aimed at tackling illegal immigration and human trafficking.

Libya Review/Maghrebi