At least 29 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa died when their boat sank off the coast of Tunisia as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to Italy, sources mentioned Sunday, the newest migrant boat catastrophe off Tunisia.
In the final 4 days, 5 migrant boats have sunk off the southern metropolis of Sfax, leaving 67 lacking and 9 lifeless, after a major enhance in boats heading towards Italy.
The Tunisian coast guard rescued 5 individuals from the boat off the coast of Mahdia after a journey that began from Sfax seashores, Romadan ben Omar, an official on the Forum for Social and Economic Rights (FTDES) instructed Reuters.
Tunisian authorities weren’t instantly obtainable for remark.
The coast guard mentioned it had stopped about 80 boats heading for Italy in previous 4 days and detained greater than 3,000 migrants, principally from sub-Saharan African international locations.
The coast close to Sfax has turn out to be a serious departure level for individuals fleeing poverty and battle in Africa and the Middle East within the hope of a greater life in Europe.
The newest catastrophe comes within the midst of a marketing campaign of arrests by the Tunisian authorities of undocumented sub-Saharan Africans.
According to U.N. knowledge, no less than 12,000 migrants who reached Italy this yr set sail from Tunisia, in contrast with 1,300 in the identical interval of 2022. Previously, Libya was the principle departure level for migrants.
According to FTDES statistics, Tunisia’s coast guard prevented greater than 14,000 migrants from setting off in boats throughout the first three months of this yr, in contrast with 2,900 throughout the identical interval final yr.
The Italian coast guard mentioned on Thursday it had rescued about 750 migrants in two operations off the southern Italian coast.
Europe dangers seeing an enormous wave of migrants arriving on its shores from North Africa if monetary stability in Tunisia just isn’t safeguarded, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni mentioned on Friday. Meloni referred to as on the IMF and a few international locations to assist Tunisia rapidly to keep away from its collapse.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
