At Least 606 Migrants Dead or Missing in the Mediterranean Since Start of 2026

At Least 606 Migrants Dead or Missing in the Mediterranean Since Start of 2026
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The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said at least 606 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean Sea since the beginning of 2026, marking the deadliest start to a year since the agency began tracking such data in 2014.

According to figures cited by Agence France-Presse, the IOM said the early months of 2026 have recorded an unprecedented toll in the Mediterranean. A spokesperson reported that at least 30 people went missing after a boat sank off the coast of Crete on Saturday as it attempted to reach Greece in poor weather conditions.

Greek authorities said the bodies of three men and one woman were recovered, while search operations continued with four patrol boats deployed to look for survivors. The vessel was carrying migrants, most of them from Sudan and Egypt, including four minors.

Officials added that a commercial ship had been dispatched to assist the boat near the port of Kali Limenes on Crete. The IOM said the vessel departed on February 19 from Tobruk in Libya, about 170 nautical miles away, and sank roughly 20 nautical miles off Crete.

The agency noted a rise last year in migration flows from Libya toward Crete, part of European Union territory. The IOM called for stronger regional cooperation, expanded search-and-rescue efforts in the central Mediterranean, and greater action against human trafficking and smuggling networks.

It also stressed the need to broaden safe and regular migration pathways to reduce risks and save lives.