At least 20 migrants have died after their boat sank off the coast of Tunisia, as reported today by the country’s state news agency TAP. This tragedy marks the second such incident in just a week.
The sinking took place about 13 miles off the coast of Sfax, a major port city on Tunisia’s eastern shore, which serves as a key departure point for migrants, particularly those from sub-Saharan Africa, attempting to reach Europe.
The boat had set sail from Chebba in Tunisia’s Mahdia governorate at 11 p.m. local time on Tuesday, according to TAP, citing the national guard. Five survivors were rescued from the vessel, the national guard confirmed.
This incident follows another deadly shipwreck that occurred in the same region last Thursday, when a boat carrying dozens of migrants sank, claiming the lives of at least nine people. Six others remain missing, according to Reuters.
