In the first two months of 2026, migrant victim numbers already exceed previous records for the same period, according to the IOM.

The IOM reports that at least 606 migrants have died or disappeared in the central Mediterranean since the start of 2026, marking the deadliest start to a year since the organization began tracking in 2014.

The latest tragedy cited occurred on February 6, 2026, when 53 people died or went missing after a boat carrying 55 migrants sank off the Libyan coast, described by an IOM spokesperson as the worst and deadliest start to the year in over a decade.

Italy’s government has approved a bill authorising naval blockades to stop boats during “exceptional pressure,” part of a broader crackdown on irregular migration with tougher penalties for smugglers and expedited repatriation.

Italian bishops highlighted the drownings as a consequence of political choices and urged measuring success by lives saved rather than arrivals.

The IOM called for strengthened search-and-rescue efforts in the central Mediterranean and for increased regional cooperation to save lives and ensure safe disembarkation.

In Italy, bodies of migrants from a January drowning were found on Calabria and Sicily beaches, with further remains on Pantelleria, drawing criticism from human rights and church leaders over migration policies.

A shipwreck south of Crete left at least 30 migrants dead or missing, with four survivors rescued by a Panama-flagged vessel and four minors among the rescued; Greek authorities mounted search-and-rescue efforts with multiple patrol vessels.

The vessel departed Tobruk, Libya on February 19 and sank about 20 nautical miles south of Kali Limenes in Crete, reinforcing Crete as a key entry point to the European Union.

Italy logged 66,296 migrant arrivals by boat in 2025, a figure slightly below 2024 and about half of 2023, amid stricter deals with Libya and Tunisia.

The IOM emphasized that trafficking networks continue to exploit migrants in the central Mediterranean and urged the development of safer, regular migration pathways to reduce risks and save lives.