Tunisia: 16 migrants dead and 166 others rescued

The Tunisian Navy rescued 166 migrants from Zarzis from several African countries, who left Libya with a boat on which 16 corpses were found, AFP learned on Thursday (July 22).

Read also: After the drop in expulsions in 2020, the fear of an acceleration in immigration

Part of the Libyan coast during the night of July 16 to 17, this boat broke down in the search area, off Zarzis, Defense Ministry spokesman Mohamed Zekri told AFP.

Aged between 15 and 48 years, 166 migrants, including 65 Moroccans, 62 Bangladeshis and 15 Egyptians, were rescued, added Mohamed Zekri, figures confirmed by the spokesperson of the National Guard (gendarmerie) Houcem Eddine Jebabli.

Sixteen lifeless people were found on the boat carrying them, said Houcem Eddine Jebabli, without being able to give, for the moment, information on the cause of their death.

"

" said Houcem Eddine Jebabli.

896 migrants died in the Mediterranean

Tunisia has rescued and welcomed since January more than a thousand migrants who left Libya, whose boats had wrecked off the Tunisian coast, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Read also: Immigration: Has Emmanuel Macron greatly reduced naturalizations and increased expulsions?

During the first four months of the year, 11,000 departures by sea from Libya took place, 73% more than in the same period last year, due in particular to the "

" of the situation. for foreigners in the country, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The number of migrants who died at sea trying to reach Europe has more than doubled this year, IOM said in mid-July.

According to statistics published by IOM, the majority of deaths were recorded in the Mediterranean Sea (896), which represents an increase of 130% compared to the same period in 2020.