In a heartbreaking incident, two migrants, including a five-year-old child, lost their lives as a makeshift boat faltered off Tunisia’s northern coast.
The tragedy unfolded as 17 others were rescued by the National Guard, officials confirmed Monday.
The lifeless body of one victim was discovered aboard the vessel, while the child’s body was recovered from the water.
The vessel, damaged and taking on water, had sent out a distress call Sunday, prompting an immediate response from maritime units.
Among the survivors, five were saved in a dramatic rescue after they leapt into the sea to escape the sinking craft.
The National Guard reported that four individuals suspected of orchestrating the hazardous crossing were arrested.
Tunisia, a crucial departure point for migrants seeking to reach Europe, has become the stage for perilous Mediterranean crossings.
Each year, tens of thousands of migrants, lured by the hope of a better future, risk their lives on this dangerous journey.
Recent months have seen a string of devastating shipwrecks, often intensified by rough seas.
On December 18, at least 20 migrants perished off Sfax, while on December 12, a rescue operation saved 27 but reported 15 dead or missing.
The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) estimates that between 600 and 700 migrants have died or gone missing in shipwrecks near Tunisia this year.
The broader Mediterranean crossing claimed over 1,300 lives in 2023, according to reports.
