Migrant boat rescue off Libya: 50 saved, seven bodies found

An Italian rescue charity, Emergency, reported on Monday that its vessel rescued 50 people from a double-deck wooden boat adrift in international waters off Libya. The operation also recovered seven bodies. The charity's mission leader, Jonathan Nani La Terra, stated that nine individuals were found on deck, having been moved there by other survivors after spending the journey in the boat's hold. Sadly, seven of these individuals could not be saved, while two remain in critical condition due to suffocation.

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Halfway through the rescue, our team noticed nine people lying on the deck.

The migrants, originating from Somalia and Egypt, indicated that their journey began from Zuwara, Libya, on Sunday. This rescue underscores the perilous nature of migration routes in the central Mediterranean. The International Organization for Migration recently noted a sharp rise in known migrant deaths along this route, even as overall migrant numbers decrease due to stricter European policies.

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The nine had been moved there by other survivors who had recovered them from the hold where they had spent the entire journey.

Factors contributing to the increased fatalities include severe weather in January and longer journeys as migrant boats depart further from European shores. Official data shows approximately 17,800 migrants have arrived in Italy this year, a significant drop from the 39,116 recorded during the same period in 2025.

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Nothing could be done for seven of them. Two are in a critical condition due to suffocation.