TUNIS, Sept 12 (NNN-TAP) — Fourteen irregular migrants had been rescued and 6 bodies recovered off Chebba, in the Mahdia governorate, spokesman for the National Guard Houssemeddine Jebabli said.
The coast guards assisted by a team of divers of the National Navy are still searching for the missing.
The boat capsized on the night of Sept 6-7. A helicopter had been dispatched to help with the rescue operation, the official added.
According to initial investigations, between 34 and 37 people had been on board the boat, he said.
Jebabli pointed out that the Tunisian coast guards had managed to foil 1,489 attempts at irregular migration from Jan 1 to Sept 9, 2022.
Some 20,018 irregular migrants had been prevented to cross the sea borders, he indicated, adding that these migrants had been nationals of sub-Saharan African countries (12,466) and Tunisians (7,552).
526 irregular migration organisers had been arrested and 823 boats seized, the official said. — NNN-TAP
