More than 80 migrants missing after boat capsizes in Mediterranean, UN agency says

More than 80 migrants are missing after a boat that departed from Libya capsized in the central Mediterranean, according to the International Organization for Migration. At least two bodies have been recovered, the agency said Tuesday.

The vessel left the coastal town of Tajoura in northwestern Libya on Sunday carrying about 120 people. It later overturned after taking on water in harsh weather conditions, according to the IOM.

A merchant vessel and a tugboat rescued 32 survivors, who were transferred by the Italian coast guard to the southern Italian island of Lampedusa. Authorities have not confirmed the nationalities of those on board.

The IOM said the number of missing remains based on preliminary accounts from survivors, and the incident is part of ongoing migrant crossings along the central Mediterranean route, one of the world’s most dangerous migration corridors. Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, according to authorities.