6 Children among 13 Migrants Found Dead off Tunisia

On Friday and Saturday, Tunisian authorities found the bodies of 13 migrants, mostly women, and children off the coast of the country.

Mourad Turki, the spokesman for the court in the Mediterranean port city of Sfax, told AFP that 9 bodies, 4 of them women and 4 children, washed up off the coast of Sfax on Friday after their two boats bound for Europe sank.

Turki added that 18 migrants were rescued and two others are still missing.

On Saturday, 4 other bodies (two women and two children) were recovered off the coast of Sfax after their boat, which was heading to the European coast, sank with about 30 migrants on board.

He said that at least 19 migrants were rescued and 10 others are still missing.

All of these migrants come from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Hundreds of migrants, mainly from Sub-Saharan Africa, come to Tunisia with the aim of crossing to Europe via the Mediterranean, often on rickety boats.

Italy is one of the main entry points to Europe for North African migrants who depart mainly from Tunisia and Libya, noting that the number of departures from the two countries increased significantly in 2021.

Contributed by Israa Farhan