Tunis, Aug 22 (V7N) – Search and rescue operations were ongoing on Saturday after a boat carrying 15 irregular migrants capsized off the coast of Tunisia, with only one person rescued so far, according to the National Guard.
National Guard spokesman Houcem Eddine Jebabli, speaking to Mosaique FM radio, said the boat sank 14 nautical miles off the coast of Zarzis overnight Friday to Saturday. The National Guard did not confirm any deaths, but Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights president Mostafa Abdelkebir said on Facebook that four bodies had been found, though it remained unclear if they belonged to missing passengers from the vessel.
Tunisia, whose coast lies some 145 kilometres from the Italian island of Lampedusa, is a key departure point for migrants seeking to make the perilous Mediterranean crossing to Europe. The central Mediterranean route is the deadliest migration route in the world, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The IOM said earlier this month that central Mediterranean migrant deaths had more than doubled in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, with at least 914 migrants having died or gone missing along the route this year.
In 2023, Tunisia signed a 255-million-euro deal with the European Union, nearly half of which was earmarked for tackling irregular migration. The deal, strongly supported by Italy's hard-right government, aimed to bolster Tunisia's capacity to prevent boats from leaving its shores. Despite these efforts, the number of crossings and fatalities remains high, with search and rescue operations continuing along the coast.
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