Boat carrying migrants
34 migrants saved, two dead off Tunisia’s coast
Thirty-four migrants were successfully rescued by Tunisian authorities, with a tragic discovery of two deceased individuals off the southeastern coast of North Africa, as announced by the National Guard in an official statement.
The National Guard elaborated that an additional 34 individuals are currently unaccounted for, based on the survivors’ reports indicating that there were originally 70 onboard before the vessel’s capsizing.
In a statement, the National Guard stated, “The floating units of the National Guard in Zarzis (southeastern Tunisia) were able to intercept a crossing attempt of the maritime border, rescuing 34 passengers of different nationalities and recovering two bodies.”
Efforts are ongoing to locate the missing passengers, as declared by the National Guard.
Survivors recounted that they embarked on their journey from a “neighbouring country” before the tragic incident occurred.
Tunisia and Libya remain primary departure points for numerous irregular migrants seeking passage to Europe, despite the perilous risks involved.
According to the International Organization for Migration, the toll from last year’s attempts to cross the central Mediterranean amounted to 2,498 deaths or disappearances, marking a stark 75 per cent increase compared to 2022.