Tunisia’s national guard has reported on Monday March 17 the rescue of 612 migrants and the recovery of 18 bodies following multiple boats capsizings off the country’s Mediterranean coast.
The operations, which took place overnight, were concentrated in the Sfax region, located to the east of the country. The migrants, including women and children from sub-Saharan Africa, were attempting to make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean to Europe when their boats capsized or broke down.
Images shared by the national guard depicted the desperate conditions faced by the survivors, with some clinging to large buoys for safety. One particularly harrowing image showed a woman struggling to lift a child, whose lifeless body appeared to be in her arms. The migrants had set out in hopes of reaching Europe, a journey that has claimed countless lives in recent years, as they seek better opportunities abroad.
Tunisia, along with neighbouring Libya, has become a major departure point for migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean, with some areas of Tunisia’s coastline located fewer than 150 kilometres from Italy’s Lampedusa island. Despite the dangers of the journey, tens of thousands of people attempt the crossing annually, seeking a better life in Europe.