A ship carrying irregular migrants capsized Friday off the coast of Tunisia, leaving not less than two lifeless, whereas 34 migrants have thus far been rescued.
“A boat carrying around 70 irregular migrants capsized off the coast of the city of Zerzis. As a result of search and rescue operations by security forces attached to the navy, the bodies of 2 irregular migrants were recovered, while 34 migrants were rescued,” the National Guard General Directorate of Tunisia mentioned in a written assertion.
The assertion mentioned the irregular migrants have been making an attempt to cross from one other nation to Europe, however didn’t specify the origin of the boat.
Tunisia’s Economic and Social Rights Forum mentioned in February that 1,300 Tunisian irregular migrants went lacking throughout migration makes an attempt in 2023, whereas over 17,000 irregular migrants making an attempt to cross to Europe by sea efficiently reached Europe.
Thousands of African irregular migrants yearly attain Tunisia, bordered by Libya and Algeria, aiming to achieve Europe through the Mediterranean for a greater life.
Lampedusa Island, Italy’s closest landmass to North Africa alongside the irregular migration route within the Central Mediterranean, is a few 130 kilometers (81 miles) from the Tunisian coast.
The Tunisian metropolis of Sfax stands out as a outstanding location the place irregular migrants ceaselessly try to achieve Lampedusa.
Last September, the European Commission introduced the allocation of €27 million ($185 million) in support to Tunisia below a memorandum of understanding geared toward lowering irregular migration.
Source: www.anews.com.tr