Forty Migrants Die in Shipwreck Off Tunisian Coast

Forty Sub-Saharan African migrants died and thirty were rescued after a boat capsized off Tunisia. Authorities said about seventy people were aboard. Tunisia, a major transit point to Europe, faces rising migrant deaths despite EU-backed efforts to curb irregular crossings.

Forty migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa were confirmed dead on Wednesday after their boat capsized off the coast of Tunisia, while thirty others were rescued from the wreckage. The tragic incident was confirmed by Walid Chtabri, spokesperson for the public prosecutor’s office in Mahdia, who said that preliminary investigations revealed that there were about seventy people on board the vessel before it sank. According to him, the victims included infants, and all those involved were from Sub-Saharan African countries.

Tunisia has increasingly become a major departure point for migrants hoping to reach Europe by sea. Its coastline lies only about 145 kilometres from the Italian island of Lampedusa, making it one of the nearest routes for people fleeing poverty, conflict, and instability in various parts of Africa. Despite the short distance, the journey is extremely dangerous, with overcrowded and fragile boats frequently capsizing before reaching their destination.

Recent data from the UN Refugee Agency shows that more than 55,000 irregular migrants have arrived in Italy since the beginning of the year. The majority of these migrants set sail from Libya, but nearly 4,000 departed from Tunisia. The central Mediterranean route, which includes these crossings, is one of the deadliest migration paths in the world. Since 2014, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has recorded 32,803 deaths or disappearances of people attempting the journey. Many migrants perish at sea due to bad weather, unseaworthy boats, or lack of rescue operations.

The growing restrictions imposed by the European Union to limit migrant arrivals have left thousands stranded in Tunisia, unable to continue their journey or return home. Many of them live in makeshift shelters, facing hunger, discrimination, and limited access to health care or employment. Local communities and aid organizations continue to struggle with the influx of migrants, while the government faces mounting pressure to control the situation.

In response to the crisis, Tunisia signed a €255 million (about $290 million) agreement with the European Union in 2023. Almost half of the funds were dedicated to addressing irregular migration and improving border management, including surveillance and interception operations along the Mediterranean coast. Tunisian President Kais Saied has also called on the International Organization for Migration to speed up voluntary return programs for stranded migrants, encouraging them to go back to their home countries. His appeal reflects Tunisia’s ongoing struggle to balance humanitarian concerns with growing international pressure to reduce the number of irregular crossings to Europe.