TUNIS: A civil defense official told AFP on Thursday that two boats collapsed off the coast of central Tunisia, killing at least 27 migrants, including women and children, while rescuing 83 others.
Zied Sdiri, the chief of civil defense in the city of Sfax, stated that the dead and rescued passengers who were discovered in the Kerkennah Islands off central Tunisia, were all from sub-Saharan African nations and were trying to reach Europe.
The Tunisian National Guard, which is in charge of the coastguard, said that searches were still being conducted for additional potential missing passengers.
With Italy’s island of Lampedusa just 150 kilometers (90 miles) away, Tunisia is frequently the first port of call for illegal migrants attempting to enter Europe.
