A minimum of 23 individuals lacking off Tunisia coast, authorities say | Migration Information

Search and rescue operations beneath method whereas 5 suspects have been arrested, Tunisian Nationwide Guard says.

A minimum of 23 individuals are lacking off the Tunisian coast, native authorities have stated, as search and rescue operations are beneath method.

Tunisia’s Nationwide Guard stated in a press release on Saturday that it had been notified of “unauthorised crusing operations” from a number of areas alongside the Tunisian coast. 5 suspects in organising the crossing have been arrested, it added.

The Nationwide Guard stated households of the lacking people had misplaced contact with them and notified the authorities. The assertion didn’t determine the nationality of the lacking individuals.

The state-run information company TAP stated a vessel departed from the city of Korba within the northeastern Nabeul governorate.

Each Tunisia and neighbouring Libya are key departure factors for these trying to journey irregularly by boat to Europe.

Migrants in search of to journey to Europe typically arrive on Tunisia’s coasts from throughout the globe, significantly from impoverished and conflict-stricken areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Greater than 12,000 individuals are registered as refugees and asylum seekers in Tunisia, in keeping with the UN Refugee Company (UNHCR).

Tunisian nationals have additionally sought emigrate to Europe by way of sea to flee poverty and seek for employment alternatives. As of 2023, the unemployment fee in Tunisia was greater than 16 p.c, in keeping with the Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF).

Some 17,000 irregular Tunisian arrivals landed in Italy in 2023, many from working-class areas the place refugees keep, like the commercial areas round Sfax, 278km (172 miles) south of Tunis on the coast.

In February, 17 Tunisians went lacking after setting sail in direction of Italy on a fishing boat.

The central Mediterranean Sea is among the world’s deadliest migration routes. About 3,000 migrants and asylum seekers are identified to have drowned whereas crossing it since 2023, in keeping with the Worldwide Group For Migration (IOM).

The true determine is probably going far greater.

Within the first 11 months of 2023, Tunisia’s Nationwide Guard intercepted virtually 70,000 irregular migrants and asylum seekers. Of these, 77.5 p.c had travelled to Tunisia from throughout Africa.