At least 40 migrants from sub-Saharan African countries, including several newborns, have died after their boat sank off the coast of Salakta, in Tunisia’s Mahdia Governorate.
The ill-fated vessel was reportedly carrying about 70 migrants when it capsized near the coastal city of Mahdia, although the exact cause of the incident has yet to be determined.
The spokesperson for the Mahdia court, Walid Chatrbi, confirmed the incident on the Tunisian radio station Mosaïque FM, adding that 30 people were rescued by the coastguard.
He also stated that the public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the tragedy.
This incident comes less than a month after the bodies of 12 migrants, including three young children, were found near Tunisia’s southern island of Djerba, off the Mediterranean coast.
Separately, two migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were found on Wednesday near Mahdia, a coastal Tunisian town located about 140 kilometers (90 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa, which lies closer to North Africa than to the Italian mainland.
Tunisia, along with neighboring Libya, has long been a key departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe. Thousands arrive in Lampedusa each year aboard makeshift boats, many of them aided by smugglers.
