At least 50 killed after refugee boat catches fire off Libyan coast

(Web Desk): At least 50 people have died after a refugee boat caught fire off the coast of Libya, according to a report by international news agency Reuters.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated on Tuesday that the incident occurred on Sunday when a boat carrying 75 Sudanese refugees caught fire near the Libyan coast.

According to the IOM, 24 survivors were rescued and provided with medical assistance.

Libya has become a key transit point for migrants seeking to reach Europe and escape war and poverty, especially since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

As of February 2025, IOM statistics show that approximately 860,055 migrants from 44 different nationalities are currently residing in Libya.

Separately, on September 4, at least 60 people died in Nigeria after a boat capsized. Dozens were rescued in the incident, which occurred in the north-central Niger state.

According to local authorities, the boat was carrying over 100 passengers and had departed from the village of Tungan Sule in the Malale district, headed for Dugga on a condolence visit. The boat reportedly collided with a submerged tree near the Gawsawa community and capsized.

Chairman of the Borgu Local Government Area, Abdullahi Baba Ara, confirmed that the death toll was rising, with 60 confirmed dead, several missing, and 10 critically injured.