At least 23 migrants from African countries drowned when their boat sank off Tunisia as they tried to reach Italy from Libya, the Tunisian Red Crescent said on Tuesday.
The Tunisian Navy “rescued 70 migrants”, but “another 23 drowned” when the boat sank with “more than 90 migrants who had sailed from Libya to Europe”, explained Mongi Slim, a member of the Tunisian Eritrean Committee. at the Reuters news agency.
The Tunisian navy also rescued 39 other migrants aboard a boat that sank off the Sfax. Italy is one of the main gateways to Europe for migrants leaving North Africa, mainly from Tunisia and Libya.
Departures have increased sharply this year compared to recent years. Some 700 migrants have lost their lives since January 1, 2021 in the Mediterranean, the vast majority on its main sea route, which is considered the deadliest in the world, according to estimates released by the UN.
