Tunisian authorities have discovered the bodies of 13 irregular migrants of African descent off the coast of Mahdia. The bodies were washed ashore in the village of Salakta and city of Chebba.
Farid ben Haja, the official spokesman for the Mahdia and Monastir courts, confirmed the discovery and said that all of the bodies were male. Preliminary examinations indicate they belonged to irregular migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
Judicial authorities have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident. This tragic event follows the recovery of six female irregular African migrants, including an infant, off the coast of Monastir on Sept. 12.
Tunisia has been grappling with a surge in irregular migration attempts to European shores. According to a report by the Tunisian National Guard, authorities recovered the bodies of 462 irregular migrants from the beginning of 2024 until May, compared to 714 during the same period of 2023.
Despite efforts to intercept and rescue migrants, the number of attempts remains high. Nearly weekly, Tunisian authorities announce the thwarting of such attempts, with hundreds of migrants from Tunisia and other African countries being intercepted.
The economic and political crises in many African countries have driven individuals to seek better opportunities in Europe. Tunisia, facing increasing pressure from European countries to enhance surveillance of its shores, has received €127 million in aid from the European Commission to address irregular migration flows.