Over 180 people are feared dead or missing in the latest Mediterranean shipwrecks, with total deaths in 2026 now nearing 1,000, according to new data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In the Central Mediterranean alone, around 765 people have died this year (2026), over 460 more than during the same period last year (2025) - an increase of more than 150 per cent. Across the Mediterranean as a whole, at least 990 deaths have been recorded in 2026, making it one of the deadliest starts to a year since 2014.
"These tragedies show, once again, that far too many people are still risking their lives on dangerous routes," said IOM Director General Amy Pope. "Saving lives must come first. But we also need stronger, unified efforts to stop traffickers and smugglers from exploiting vulnerable people, and to expand safe and regular pathways - so no one is ever forced into these deadly journeys."
On 5 April, more than 80 migrants went missing when a boat capsized in the Central Mediterranean after departing from Tajoura, Libya, with around 120 people on board. The vessel took on water in rough weather before overturning.
A total of 32 survivors were rescued by a merchant vessel and a tugboat and later brought to Lampedusa by the Italian Coast Guard. Two bodies have been recovered, while IOM teams are assisting survivors on the ground.
Earlier, on 1 April, 19 people were found dead aboard a vessel off southern Italy near Lampedusa. Survivors said the boat had left Zuara, Libya, overnight between 28 and 29 March. Fifty-eight people were rescued, including women and children, with several reported in critical condition.
After three days at sea, the vessel was left adrift due to engine failure, fuel shortages and lack of food as weather conditions deteriorated.
Initial testimonies suggest many victims died before rescue operations, possibly due to hypothermia, though circumstances remain under investigation. Survivors are being assisted at the Lampedusa reception centre.
On the same day, at least 19 migrants died in the Aegean Sea near Bodrum, Türkiye, after a rubber boat capsized en route to Greece, with several others rescued.
Other recent incidents underline the risks along Mediterranean routes. On 28 March, at least 22 people died off Crete after departing from eastern Libya, while a 30 March shipwreck near Sfax, Tunisia, left 19 dead and around 20 missing.
Despite a sharp drop in arrivals, fatalities are rising. Italy has recorded about 6,200 arrivals so far in 2026, down from 9,400 over the same period in 2025.
IOM warns that search and rescue capacity remains insufficient, urging stronger coordination to save lives at sea and calling for expanded legal migration pathways to reduce reliance on dangerous crossings.
