19 Sub-Saharan Migrants Die in Multipale BoatMishaps
Tunisian coast guards say 19 Sub-Saharan migrants have been killed in multiple boat mishaps off Sfax.
Nineteen Sub-Saharan African migrants have been confirmed dead with 67 missing in five Italy-bound boats mishaps around Sfax, off Mahdia coast in the last four days.
An official of the Forum for Social and Economic Rights, FTDES, disclosed this to Reuters.
The coast guard also added that it had stopped about 80 boats and detained more than 3,000 migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, heading for Italy within the same period.
The coast, near Sfax, the Coast Guard added, has turned into a major stage point for people heading to Europe while fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa and the Middle East.
FTDES added that overall, Tunisia's coast guard prevented more than 14,000 migrants from setting off in boats during the first three months of 2023 compared with 2,900 within the same period of 2023.
On Thursday, Italian Coast Guard said it rescued about 750 migrants in two operations off the southern Italian coast.
A UN data also revealed that at least 12,000 migrants who managed to reach Italy this year set sail from Tunisia, compared with 1,300 in the same period of the previous year.
It noted that Libya used to be the main migrants departure point.
What's Your Reaction?
