Most fatalities have been linked to small boats departing from the coasts of Tunisia and Libya. While departures from Tunisia have decreased due to tightened border enforcement (which often involves intercepting people and forcing them toward the desert near the Algerian border), Libya remains the key departure point for boats crossing the central Mediterranean.

Located about 300 kilometers from the Italian coast, Libya is a major North African departure point for migrants, most of whom are from sub-Saharan Africa and risk their lives attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea.

However, many are prevented from leaving Libya due to interceptions by the EU-supported Libyan Coast Guard. In the first half of 2025, the International Organization for Migration estimated that around 12,000 people were intercepted and returned to Libya, and that 588 people died during the same period.