Dozens of Migrants Found Dead or Missing off Tunisia and Morocco’s Coasts Amid Unprecedented Migration Crisis

0

#Tunisia: 13 bodies of undocumented sub-Saharan migrants were recovered by Coast Guard units off #Sfax, while 25 migrants were rescued, the National Guard's General Directorate said

On Thursday, the Tunisian coast guard recovered the bodies of 13 sub-Saharan African migrants and rescued 25 others after their boat sank while heading to Italy off the coast of Sfax. Tunisia is grappling with an unprecedented migration crisis, with an increasing number of people fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa and the Middle East, making it the main departure point in the region for those seeking a better life in Europe.

The death toll and missing migrants off Tunisia’s coasts have reached approximately 630 in the first half of 2023, surpassing previous years. European countries have urged Tunisia to prevent large-scale departures from its coasts, but President Kais Saied had previously refused to act as a border guard, a situation which is expected to change as Tunisia just signed a 1 billion Euro deal with EU on migration, negotiated by the Italian far-right to prevent illegal immigration to Europe. 

Tunisia and EU sign a ‘strategic partnership’ on economy and migration. Image by Reuters

On Friday, according to the MAP state news agency’s Facebook page, at least six migrants lost their lives when their boat sank off the coast of Morocco. The tragic incident occurred when the boat hit rocks, causing six people to drown. Fortunately, 48 other individuals managed to survive the ordeal. In response to the incident, authorities initiated search operations to locate any other possible survivors or victims.



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *