Tunisia’s coast guard recovered eight bodies on Monday after a migrant boat sank off the country’s coast while attempting to reach Europe. A security official confirmed that 29 people were rescued from the wreckage.
The boat went down near the city of Abwabed, close to Sfax, a common departure point for migrants from Africa. Search operations are ongoing to locate any other potential missing individuals, according to Houssem Eddine Jebabli, a national guard official.
Tunisia is facing an escalating migration crisis, with the country now surpassing Libya as a major departure point for both Tunisians and other African migrants seeking a better life in Europe.