At least 50 Sudanese refugees have died after a rubber boat carrying 75 people caught fire off the coast of Tobruk, eastern Libya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed Wednesday.
The group was reportedly attempting to reach Greece when the tragedy occurred.
“The tragic incident took place when a rubber boat carrying 75 Sudanese refugees caught fire off the coast of Tobruk, Libya, while en route to Greece. At least 50 lives have been lost,” an IOM spokesperson told AFP.
The IOM added in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that its teams had provided immediate lifesaving medical care to the 24 survivors. It was not immediately clear if one additional passenger remained missing.
Libya has long been a key transit hub for migrants and refugees fleeing conflict, poverty, and persecution in Africa and the Middle East in hopes of reaching Europe.
According to IOM figures, at least 456 migrants have died and 420 remain missing along the Central Mediterranean route between January 1 and September 13, 2025.
The organization describes the crossing as “one of the deadliest migrant routes in the world.” In 2024 alone, 2,573 people attempting to reach Europe died in the Mediterranean Sea.
The ongoing war in Sudan between the army and paramilitary forces has displaced millions, with more than 140,000 Sudanese refugees fleeing into Libya over the past two years — nearly doubling their numbers in the country.
Many face near-slavery conditions in Libya, with rights groups reporting widespread extortion, abuse, and trafficking. For many, the dangerous sea crossing remains the only hope of escape.
Libya has remained divided since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi, leaving the country split between a UN-recognized government in Tripoli and an eastern authority backed by Khalifa Haftar.
The instability has enabled smugglers and traffickers to operate with impunity, worsening the humanitarian crisis for migrants trapped in the country.
