Since the beginning of 2025, around 1,000 people have died or gone missing along the Central Mediterranean migration route. Photo from the archive Dozens of migrants, including children, have died off the coast of Tunisia Refugees and migrants
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported a major tragedy that occurred off the coast of Tunisia: a boat carrying 70 migrants heading to Europe capsized in the Mediterranean Sea. 40 people died, including nine women, 19 men and 12 children under five years of age.
According to IOM, the incident occurred shortly after the ship set sail in the Mahdia area of Tunisia. A fishing boat nearby sounded an alarm, allowing 30 people to be rescued. Survivors include men, women and children from Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Guinea.
IOM says this is one of the deadliest shipwrecks off North African coasts this year and stresses the need for coordinated action to preventing tragedies along the Central Mediterranean route, considered the most dangerous migration route in the world.
According to the IOM Missing Migrants Project, almost 1,000 people have died or gone missing along this route since the beginning of the year. Since 2014, the death toll has exceeded 25 thousand. At least 30 children have drowned off the coast of Tunisia in 2025, more than the 22 in all of last year. IOM reiterated its commitment to support countries along key migration routes through search and rescue operations and the expansion of safe and legal migration routes. The organization expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims.