A tragic incident unfolded off Tunisia’s Mediterranean coastline when authorities recovered the bodies of 20 individuals who had seemingly drowned in a shipwreck near a common departure point for migrants endeavoring to reach Europe by sea. The National Guard of the country disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that members of the coast guard, dispatched to the site of the sinking vessel, managed to rescue five survivors and retrieve the remains of 20 others, located 15 miles (24 kilometers) off the coast north of Sfax. This particular stretch of coastline lies approximately 81 miles (130 kilometers) away from the Italian island of Lampedusa.
Efforts to locate any missing persons were ongoing, with the exact number of individuals aboard the ill-fated ship at the commencement of its journey remaining undisclosed. Collaborating with European partners, Tunisian authorities have intensified border control measures in a bid to avert maritime fatalities and combat the activities of smugglers and migrants attempting unauthorized crossings towards southern Europe. Despite these efforts, incidents of drownings and bodies washing ashore persist, as evidenced by a recent occurrence where nine deceased individuals were discovered along the same coastline, presumably having perished at sea.
The vessels employed by migrants and smugglers to traverse the Mediterranean are often deemed unfit for sea travel, posing significant risks to those on board. While an official tally is unavailable, various international organizations and Tunisian non-governmental organizations estimate that hundreds have lost their lives at sea during the current year. According to the United Nations’ refugee agency, UNHCR, over 1,100 individuals have either perished or gone missing in the central Mediterranean region adjacent to the coastlines of Tunisia and Libya. Additionally, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights approximates that between 600 and 700 people have met similar fates off the coast of Tunisia.
In 2024, more than 19,000 migrants departed from Tunisia and arrived in Italy, with a substantial number subsequently seeking asylum. This figure represents a notable decrease compared to the same period in 2023, which saw over 96,000 individuals undertaking the journey. Among those who reached Italy in 2024, a significant proportion hailed from Bangladesh, Tunisia, and Syria.
Despite the absence of official statistics regarding the migrant population within Tunisia, numerous individuals find themselves residing in makeshift encampments nestled amidst olive trees along the coastline near Sfax. The precarious nature of their circumstances underscores the complexities and challenges associated with irregular migration and the perilous voyages embarked upon by those seeking better opportunities and refuge in Europe.
