In its weekly maritime update for Libya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that 709 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya between March 1st and March 7th, 2026, after attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. The report detailed various departures from across the Libyan coastline. In Zuwara, 43 men were intercepted on March 7th. Sorman saw two operations involving 175 migrants, including women and children, while 61 men were stopped off Zawiya. In Tripoli, 117 individuals, among them 22 women and 3 children, were intercepted on March 2nd.
IOM Reports Interception and Return of 753 Migrants to Libya in One Week
The operations extended to the central and eastern regions, with 85 migrants intercepted off Sirte. In Tobruk, three separate operations between March 3rd and March 6th resulted in the interception of 228 individuals. Tragically, the IOM also reported the recovery of several bodies off the coasts of Tripoli, Garabulli, Khoms, Derna, and Tobruk, alongside 31 unidentified individuals. Cumulative data from the IOM shows that from January 1st to March 7th, 2026, a total of 2,568 migrants have been intercepted and returned to Libya. Meanwhile, the Missing Migrants Project has recorded 559 deaths or disappearances on the Central Mediterranean route since the beginning of this year. These figures follow a trend from previous years; in 2025, 27,116 migrants were intercepted, while 2024 saw 21,762 interceptions and 1,699 recorded deaths or disappearances on the same maritime.
Rising Interceptions off Libya’s Coast: Over 1,000 Migrants Returned in One Week
