The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) announced it is deeply concerned by reports of multiple deadly shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean in recent days.
The IOM said it was currently in the process of verifying the reports, noting that several boats are believed to have been involved over the past ten days. Preliminary information suggests that hundreds of people may be missing at sea or feared dead. Severe weather significantly hampered search and rescue operations, said the IOM.
“These tragedies once again underscore the lethal consequences of migrant smuggling and trafficking networks that continue to operate with impunity, deliberately sending people to sea on unseaworthy and overcrowded boats, and highlight the urgent need for the international community to intensify efforts to dismantle these criminal networks and prevent further loss of life.”
According to the international organisation, in Lampedusa, Italy, three deaths were confirmed following a search and rescue operation involving a boat that departed from Sfax, Tunisia. Among the victims are twin girls, approximately one year old, who died of hypothermia shortly before disembarkation, according to testimony provided by their mother, a survivor from Guinea. A man also died shortly after arrival due to hypothermia.
The IOM noted that survivors from the same operation reported that another boat departed from the same location and at the same time as theirs but never arrived. There are serious concerns that this vessel may have been involved in a further shipwreck while the IOM is working to clarify the fate of those on board.
According to the latest information received from Malta, which IOM is currently verifying, a survivor rescued by a commercial vessel reported surviving a shipwreck from which at least 50 people could be missing or dead.
In addition, the Italian Coast Guard is reportedly coordinating search operations to locate other boats reported missing or in distress in recent days. Separately, reports indicate that at least 51 people are feared to have lost their lives following a shipwreck off the coast of Tobruk, Libya. While IOM is still seeking official confirmation, the scale of the reported fatalities points to yet another major tragedy in the Central Mediterranean.
Smuggling migrants during storm not only criminal but 'reprehensible'
The IOM notes that these incidents occurred during Cyclone Harry, an exceptionally violent Mediterranean storm.
“Smuggling migrants on unseaworthy and overcrowded boats is a criminal act. Arranging departures while a severe storm was hitting the region makes this conduct even more reprehensible, as people were knowingly sent to sea under conditions amounting to a near-certain risk of death,” it said.
According to the IOM, in the first weeks of 2026, hundreds of people are already feared to be missing, pending the outcome of ongoing searches for currently missing boats.
“The final toll may be significantly higher, a stark reminder that this route remains the deadliest migration corridor in the world,” it said.
In 2025 alone, at least 1,340 people have lost their lives in the Central Mediterranean.
The organisation reiterated the urgent need to take stronger action against smuggling and trafficking networks that continue to cynically exploit people and put lives at risk for profit.
“These criminal networks bear responsibility for the resulting loss of life and must be held accountable. At the same time, it is essential to strengthen search and rescue efforts in the Central Mediterranean to save lives and ensure safe disembarkation.”
Source: IOM