31 irregular migrants rescued off Tunisia's coast

By Alaa Hammoudi

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) – Tunisian authorities rescued 31 irregular migrants off the coast of Tunisia, according to the country’s interior ministry on Sunday.

A ministry statement said seven migrants were stopped in the Mediterranean town of Kelibia in the northeastern Nabeul province.

Seven other migrants were rescued and two bodies retrieved after a boat capsized 10 kilometers off the coat of the central Mahdia province, the ministry said, adding that search is still ongoing for 21 missing migrants.

Tunisian naval forces also stopped 17 illegal migrants from African nationalities in the coastal Monastir province, the ministry said.

Almost on daily basis, the Tunisian authorities stop illegal migration attempts and arrest hundreds of irregular migrants.

For years, Maghreb countries such as Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania and Morocco have witnessed attempts by migrants from mainly sub-Saharan Africa to reach Europe in hope of a better life. While some of the migrants manage to reach their destination, others often die during the process.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara