The Tunisian coast guard recovered 901 migrants’ drowned bodies off its coast. The interior minister of the country, Kamel Feki, announced on Wednesday that there had been an unprecedented number of fatalities off its coasts from January 1 to July 20 of this year.
The country of North Africa is dealing with a record-breaking wave of migration this year as well as frequent tragedies involving the sinking of boats carrying migrants from sub-Saharan Africa to the coasts of Italy.
People fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa and the Middle East in search of a better life in Europe now primarily depart from Tunisia replacing Libya.
Feki informed parliament that among the 901 bodies discovered, 36 were Tunisians and 267 were foreign migrants; the identities of the remaining bodies were unknown.
The majority of the boats carrying migrants leave from the southern city of Sfax’s coast.
Unprecedented migration problems have arisen in Tunisia as a result of the influx of thousands of undocumented migrants to the coastal city of Sfax in recent months with the intention of traveling to Europe on boats operated by human traffickers.
According to official statistics, 75,065 boat migrants had entered Italy as of July 14 compared to 31,920 during the same period last year. The majority departed from Tunisia.
In response to an abrupt increase in boats leaving Tunisia for Europe, the European Union and Tunisia signed a “strategic partnership” agreement in July that includes fighting human traffickers and tightening sea borders.
Source-Reuters
