Off the shore of the southeast island of Djerba in Tunisia, a boat overturned, leaving at least 12 dead and ten missing. Three children were among the dead, according to officials, highlighting the sorrow of this most recent Mediterranean boat disaster. Judicial official Fethi Baccouche reported the incident on Monday. A Medenine court spokesman said rescuers saved 29 people in the early morning sinking while the investigation is ongoing.
Four migrants swam back to shore, alerting authorities to the catastrophe, and the Tunisian National Guard intervened. According to the local human rights organization, Human Rights Observatory, Tunisia and Libya have become major hubs for refugees and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, who often risk their lives on dangerous sea voyages to Europe. Only two passengers were Moroccan and the rest were Tunisians.
The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights estimated that shipwrecks off the coast of Tunisia resulted in 1,300 fatalities last year. Tunisia’s high unemployment rate and weak economy, which grew by only 0.4% in 2023, fueled the population flight. In July 2021, President Kais Saied initiated a power grab, which resulted in political upheaval across the country.
One of the world’s worst migratory routes, the central Mediterranean, claimed the lives of about 2,500 people last year. According to the International Organization for Migration, one thousand one hundred sixty-one people have seen similar results since January. The EU has provided funds and equipment to Libya’s coast guard to stop the migrant crisis.
According to rights organizations, many migrants and refugees are trapped in Libya and detained cruelly. NATO’s 2011 toppling of Muammar Gaddafi left Libya in turmoil for years. Due to insecurity, human trafficking groups have thrived and committed extortion and enslavement. At the start of the year, the IOM reported about 706,000 migrants in Libya, while Libyan officials say the number is closer to two million. This ongoing situation highlights the tragic consequences of the Mediterranean boat disaster and the urgent need for comprehensive solutions.
