IOM says 18 die after boat capsizes off Libya as rescue tally rises to 64

# IOM says 18 die after boat capsizes off Libya as rescue tally rises to 64

At least 18 people died when a wooden vessel carrying irregular refugees capsized off the coast of Surman, Libya, the International Organization for Migration said, while 64 others were rescued. The account adds another deadly chapter to the central Mediterranean route, which the agency described as one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors.

The IOM said the vessel overturned only a few hours into its journey because of high waves. It did not identify the nationalities of those who died, but it did say survivors included 29 Sudanese men, one Sudanese woman, one Sudanese child, 18 Bangladeshi men, 12 Pakistani men and three Somali men.

The incident highlights the mix of nationalities now routinely crossing through Libya in search of safety or opportunity. The survivors list suggests that the boat carried people from several countries at once, underlining how migration routes through North Africa continue to draw people displaced by conflict, hardship and uncertainty.

The agency also said its Missing Migrants Project had recorded 1,046 deaths and disappearances along the central Mediterranean route so far this year, including 527 off the coast of Libya. Those numbers frame the Surman disaster not as an isolated incident but as part of a continuing toll that has repeatedly overwhelmed rescue efforts.

The IOM said it was working with local partners to ensure survivors received health assistance and access to essential services. It also called for urgent action to prevent further tragedies at sea.

Libya remains a major departure point for people attempting the crossing toward Europe, and the sea route remains dangerous even when departure conditions appear routine. In this case, the sea state itself was enough to tip the balance: the boat capsized just hours after setting out.

The small wooden vessel, the large number of people on board, and the rough conditions combine into a familiar pattern for migration disasters in the Mediterranean. The IOM’s warning was blunt because the scale of the problem is stubbornly familiar. People continue to embark, boats continue to fail, and recovery teams continue to account for the dead and missing after the fact.

With 64 survivors already identified and the death toll set at 18, the Surman shipwreck is likely to feed broader concern about rescue capacity, transit risks and the persistent demand that keeps dangerous crossings in motion.