20 dead in migrant boat sinking off Tunisian coastline

By Bouazza Ben Bouazza | Associated Push

TUNIS, Tunisia — About 20 African migrants were being found dead Thursday right after their smuggling boat sank in the Mediterranean Sea though trying to arrive at Europe, Tunisian authorities reported. Five survivors were being rescued and the Tunisian navy is browsing for up to 20 other folks however considered lacking.

Tunisian coast guard boats and nearby fishermen found and retrieved the bodies in the waters off the coastal city of Sfax in central Tunisia, Defense Ministry spokesman Mohamed Ben Zekri instructed The Linked Push.

In accordance to survivors, the migrant smuggling boat was carrying about 40 or 50 persons heading toward Italy, Ben Zekri stated.

The boat was overloaded and in very poor condition, and confronted potent winds Thursday morning that may perhaps have contributed to the sinking, said Countrywide Guard spokesman Ali Ayari. It was carrying migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, he informed The AP.

Tunisian navy units ended up looking for any a lot more survivors.

Tunisian authorities say they have intercepted several migrant smuggling boats not long ago but that the selection of attempts has been increasing, notably amongst the Sfax region and the Italian island of Lampedusa.

Additional than 1,100 migrants have died or disappeared in the Mediterranean this year, according to estimates from the International Group for Migration.

Migrant smuggling boats regularly go away from the coastline of Tunisia and neighboring Libya carrying folks from throughout Africa, like a escalating number of Tunisians fleeing prolonged economic issues in their state.