A boat carrying approximately 70 irregular migrants sank off the Tunisian coast early Wednesday, in a tragic incident that resulted in the deaths of 40 people, including infants, judicial sources confirmed.
According to Walid Shatbari, spokesperson for the Mahdia Court, 30 other individuals were rescued after the iron vessel, which was carrying migrants from sub-Saharan African countries aiming to reach Europe, foundered.
In the wake of the disaster, the public prosecutor’s office in Mahdia has launched a criminal investigation. The probe is focusing on suspicions that an organized smuggling network was involved in facilitating the illegal crossing. Authorities are also examining potential links to human trafficking rings.
The shipwreck underscores the extreme perils faced by migrants and refugees attempting the dangerous Mediterranean Sea crossing. It highlights a continuing humanitarian crisis, driven by instability and worsening conditions in countries of origin, which has led to a sharp increase in irregular migration attempts across the central Mediterranean route.
TunisianMonitorOnline (Editorial Staff)
