Tunisian authorities have discovered 20 bodies believed to have drowned in a shipwreck near the country’s Mediterranean coast, a hotspot for migrants attempting to sail to Europe. The Tunisian National Guard announced on Wednesday (December 18) that the Coast Guard rescued 5 people at the scene of the sunken ship, and recovered 20 bodies 15 miles (24 kilometers) off the northern coast of Sfax. This coastline is approximately 81 miles (130 kilometers) from the Italian island of Lampedusa.
The National Guard stated that efforts to search for missing persons are ongoing, without disclosing how many people might have been onboard the ship when it set sail.
With assistance from Europe, Tunisian authorities have intensified border control measures to prevent maritime fatalities and combat illegal trafficking of migrants. However, reports of maritime drownings and bodies washing up on the shore continue to occur frequently. Just last week, authorities found 9 bodies believed to have drowned on the same coastline.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 19,000 migrants have departed from Tunisia to arrive in Italy this year, with many subsequently applying for asylum.