Ten dead and dozens rescued after migrant boat capsizes off Malta

On 7 June 2026 a boat carrying roughly 60 migrants that had departed from Libya capsized about 45 nautical miles east‑south‑east of Malta. A fishing vessel in the area saved 48 people, while the Italian coastguard deployed a patrol boat that "has so far recovered 10 bodies" and is still searching for the missing.

The tragedy adds to an especially deadly Mediterranean season; the UN International Organization for Migration says near‑990 people have died trying to cross the sea in 2026, the highest toll since 2014. The incident comes as EU leaders debate a new framework for “return hubs” to deport rejected asylum seekers and as protests continue in Libya over migrant policies.