Nine migrants dead after Tunisian shipwreck

Tunisian authorities have found the bodies of nine migrants, and rescued dozens more after a shipwreck off the country’s Mediterranean coast, AFP reports citing judicial official Farid Ben Jha. The boat, carrying 42 passengers from sub-Saharan Africa, capsized after departing from Sfax on Tuesday night. A fisherman alerted authorities, leading to the rescue of 27 people, including survivors from Cameroon, Senegal, and Guinea. Six people remain missing

Tunisia and neighboring Libya are key departure points for migrants risking dangerous sea journeys to reach Europe. Italy, just 150 kilometers from Tunisia, is often the first destination. Tunisian rights group FTDES estimates 600-700 migrants have died or gone missing in shipwrecks off Tunisia this year. In November, two migrants died in a similar incident off Mahdia, while earlier recoveries included 15 bodies near Monastir and 36 survivors off Bizerte in September. Thousands irregular migrants, most from sub-Saharan Africa, continue to attempt the perilous Mediterranean crossing each year.