On the morning of September 9, 2025, a rubber boat crammed with more than 70 desperate people—mainly Sudanese and South Sudanese nationals—pushed off from a beach near the Libyan town of Kambout. Their destination: Europe, and the hope of safety or a better life. But within hours, tragedy struck. The overloaded vessel sank off Libya’s eastern coast, marking yet another deadly chapter in the ongoing migrant crisis that has gripped the Mediterranean for years.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the boat carried over 70 people when it set sail and went down the very same day. In the immediate aftermath, there was little clarity about the fate of those on board. It wasn’t until five days later, on September 14, that a rescue operation found 14 survivors—miraculously still alive after nearly a week adrift. As of September 20, 42 people from the doomed voyage remain unaccounted for, their whereabouts or fate unknown. The bodies of 19 victims have been recovered from the sea, the IOM told the Associated Press and other outlets.
What happened during those five harrowing days at sea is still unclear. As reported by BBC and the Associated Press, authorities and aid workers have not been able to explain how the survivors managed to stay alive. The Mediterranean is notoriously unforgiving, and survival for that long without food, water, or shelter is nothing short of extraordinary. The IOM, quoted by several news agencies, continues to monitor the situation closely and has called for increased international efforts to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
The Libyan Red Crescent, a key player in rescue and recovery operations along the North African coast, said on its Facebook page that it received an urgent call from authorities in Tobruk—about 60 kilometers west of Kambout—on September 15, asking for help to recover bodies. The Red Crescent often works alongside local authorities in such grim tasks, and in this instance, they recovered several bodies at Kambout beach. However, it’s unclear if these included the 19 migrants mentioned in the IOM’s tally.
This incident is not isolated. Libya has long been a main transit point for migrants and refugees fleeing war, persecution, and poverty in Africa and the Middle East, as highlighted in reports by the Associated Press and Arab Times. The country’s position on the Mediterranean, combined with its porous borders and ongoing instability, has made it a launching pad for thousands of people attempting the perilous journey to Europe each year. Many never make it. In fact, earlier in September, another migrant boat capsized off Libya’s coast, resulting in one death and 22 people missing, according to Libyan authorities. In that case, the coast guard in Tobruk said the vessel carried 32 migrants; nine were rescued.
Such tragedies have become heartbreakingly common. In December 2024, at least 61 migrants—including women and children—drowned off the coast of western Libya, as reported by multiple agencies. The dangers of this journey are well known, but the desperation that drives people to risk everything continues to outweigh the dangers. Many of the migrants on these boats are fleeing violence, political instability, or economic collapse in their home countries. For Sudanese and South Sudanese nationals in particular, the journey is a last resort after years of hardship and, in many cases, conflict.
The IOM’s spokesperson, quoted by several media outlets, stressed the need for more robust international action: “The organization continues to monitor the situation and calls for increased international efforts to prevent such tragedies.” The call echoes a familiar refrain from humanitarian organizations operating in the region, who have long argued that the current approach—focused on border enforcement and deterrence—has failed to address the root causes of migration or ensure the safety of those who attempt the crossing.
In the midst of this latest disaster, another group of migrants was rescued in a separate incident. On September 16, authorities in the coastal city of Zuwara, in western Libya, saved 35 people—including five women and a child—from a boat off the coast of the Abu Kammash area. According to a statement by the Zuwara Naval Operations Force, part of the internationally recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli, the rescue averted another potential calamity. While such rescues offer brief moments of relief, they also serve as reminders of the relentless flow of people risking their lives on the Mediterranean.
The reasons behind Libya’s role as a migration hub are complex and deeply rooted. Since the NATO-backed uprising in 2011 that toppled longtime autocrat Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been mired in chaos. Rival governments, armed militias, and criminal networks have vied for control, creating a lawless environment where traffickers operate with impunity. For migrants, this means not only the dangers of the sea but also the constant threat of exploitation, violence, and detention on land. As noted by Reuters and other agencies, the country’s instability has made it nearly impossible to establish effective search-and-rescue operations or to protect migrants’ rights.
For the families of those who remain missing after the September 9 tragedy, the wait for news is agonizing. With no word from their loved ones, many fear the worst. The absence of clear information about the identities of the recovered bodies only adds to the uncertainty. The Libyan Red Crescent and authorities have yet to confirm whether the remains found at Kambout beach are among the 19 reported by the IOM. This lack of transparency is, unfortunately, not unusual in a country where official structures are weak and communication is often chaotic.
International agencies like the IOM and the United Nations have repeatedly urged European and North African governments to create legal pathways for migration, improve coordination on search-and-rescue missions, and address the humanitarian needs of those stranded in Libya. Yet, political divisions and shifting priorities have hampered progress. The European Union’s focus on curbing arrivals has led to controversial deals with Libyan authorities and the outsourcing of border control, often with little oversight or accountability.
The grim reality is that as long as conflict, poverty, and instability persist in countries like Sudan and South Sudan, people will continue to risk their lives in search of safety and opportunity. The Mediterranean, with its unpredictable weather and treacherous currents, will remain both a barrier and a graveyard for those who dare to cross it.
For now, the waters off Libya’s coast hold too many secrets—stories of hope, despair, and loss that rarely make headlines for long. But for the families waiting for news, and for the survivors who carry the trauma of their journey, the tragedy of September 9, 2025, will not be easily forgotten.