Tunisia Reports Discovery of 13 Migrant Bodies

Tunisia Reports Discovery of 13 Migrant Bodies

Thirteen bodies, believed to be migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, were discovered off Tunisia's qeastern coast, according to a judicial official who spoke to AFP on Wednesday.

The bodies were found on Tuesday and Wednesday near the coastal towns of Salakta and Chebba, stated Farid Ben Jha, the spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office in the Monastir and Mahdia regions.

An investigation has been launched, but no further information was provided.

Tunisia and neighboring Libya have become major departure points for migrants, primarily from other countries, who attempt dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea in search of better lives in Europe.

Each year, tens of thousands of people attempt the crossing, with Italy — particularly its Lampedusa island, located just 150 kilometers (90 miles) from Tunisia — often being the first destination.

Since January 1, at least 103 makeshift boats have sunk, and 341 bodies have been recovered from Tunisian waters, according to the interior ministry.

Last year, more than 1,300 people either died or went missing in shipwrecks off Tunisia’s coast, as reported by the Tunisian FTDES rights group.

The International Organization for Migration stated that over 30,309 migrants have died in the Mediterranean over the past decade, with more than 3,000 fatalities recorded last year alone.