On 9 February 2015, at least 300 migrants drowned after attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa in rough seas. According to the International Organisation for Migration, the most of the migrants were from the Ivory Coast, Senegal, Gambia, Niger, Mali and Mauritania.

The survivors rescued by the Italian coast guard stated that they were forced to make the journey in bad weather from the Libyan capital Tripoli "under the threat of arms" by human traffickers. They had to sail in four small inflatable dinghies without any food or water. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said survivors had reported that four boats had left Libya together and began taking on water almost immediately. The sinking came two days after Italian coastguard found 29 migrants dead from hypothermia on-board a ship bound for their territory.