Tunis: The new year in Tunisia began with a tragic reminder of the migration crisis as two boats carrying 110 migrants sank off the coast of Kerkennah while 27 bodies were recovered, and 83 passengers were rescued.
The new year started in the worst possible manner in Tunisia with the shipwreck of two boats off the Kerkennah islands.
Twenty-seven migrants of various nationalities lost their lives, while 83 others were rescued by coast guard and civil protection teams.
According to Tunisian authorities, all the migrants were of sub-Saharan origin, including women and children.
A total of 110 people were aboard the two vessels. One boat capsized, and the other sank three nautical miles from Kerkennah, said Zied Sdiri, regional director of civil protection in Sfax.
Among the 27 bodies recovered was a newborn baby, according to a statement by the National Guard, which also reported that the survivors included 17 women and seven minors. Search operations are ongoing.
Fifteen of the rescued migrants were taken to the hospital for treatment.
