Nine Iraqi Kurdish migrants who were feared to have died while attempting to reach Europe through Libya have reportedly been found alive and are expected to return home, according to Iraqi Kurdish media.
The migrants were part of a group that travelled from Iraq’s Kurdistan region to Libya in August, reportedly hoping to continue their journey to Europe by sea. Their families later received conflicting information about their fate, with some reports suggesting that they had drowned while others indicated that they could be detained somewhere in Libya.
The uncertainty left relatives facing weeks of fear as they tried to determine whether their loved ones were alive.
On Sunday, October 4, Iraqi Kurdish news outlet Rudaw reported that Iraq’s diplomatic mission in Libya had located nine of the migrants and begun procedures for their voluntary repatriation to the Kurdistan region.
The migrants reportedly underwent medical examinations to determine whether they were fit to travel. The Iraqi embassy in Libya also issued emergency travel documents to facilitate their return.
It remains unclear what happened to the remaining migrant, as earlier reports referred to a group of 10 people. Authorities have not said whether the original figure was inaccurate or whether one person remains unaccounted for.
The reported discovery has brought relief to the families, who had spent weeks fearing that their relatives had died during the dangerous journey.
Iraqi authorities have previously helped return migrants stranded in Libya. Rudaw reported that 33 migrants were repatriated from Libya last month, while more than 500 migrants from Iraq’s Kurdistan region have reportedly been returned since 2015.
However, the case also highlights the dangers faced by migrants travelling through Libya in an attempt to reach Europe.
Migrants in Libya can face detention, exploitation, forced labour, violence and extortion. Human rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about conditions in Libyan detention centres, while reports have also documented cases in which migrants’ families were allegedly pressured to pay money for their relatives’ release.
Those who manage to avoid detention still face the dangerous Mediterranean crossing to Europe. The International Organization for Migration has recorded more than 35,000 migrant deaths on Mediterranean routes since monitoring began in 2014. However, the actual number is believed to be higher because many deaths at sea are never documented.
In 2026 alone, more than 1,000 migrants have reportedly died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.
The reported return of the nine Iraqi Kurdish migrants provides a rare positive outcome for families who had feared the worst, while highlighting the risks that continue to push migrants into dangerous and irregular routes.