A boat carrying around 70 people from sub-Saharan Africa capsized at dawn on Wednesday off the coast of Salakta, Mahdia governorate. Thirty survivors were rescued.
The coasts of Salakta, in the governorate of Mahdia, were the scene of a new migratory drama this Wednesday at dawn. Forty people, including infants, lost their lives in the sinking of an iron boat carrying around 70 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
According to Walid Chtarbi, spokesperson for the Mahdia court of first instance, the Maritime Guard units managed to rescue 30 survivors. Search operations are continuing to find any missing people.
The Mahdia public prosecutor’s office ordered the opening of a judicial investigation for “formation of a network with a view to facilitating the illegal crossing of maritime borders resulting in death” and for human trafficking.
This tragedy serves as a reminder of the seriousness of the migratory phenomenon on the Tunisian coasts, often the starting point for perilous crossings to Europe. Since the start of the year, several shipwrecks have already devastated the coastal regions of the Sahel, where illegal departures are increasing despite the risks and difficult weather conditions.
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