Tunisia: 31 bodies found off the coast as surge in migrant crossings continues

31 bodies were found off the Tunisian coast as the surge in migrants taking the perilous journey by small boat to Italy increases.

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24 April, 2023

According to UN data, at least 12,000 migrants who reached Italy this year set sail from Tunisia [source: Getty]

The Tunisian coast guard said on Monday it had recovered 31 bodies of African migrants who drowned while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Italy.

It added that among the bodies recovered off the coast of Sfax, Kerkennah and Mahdia were the bodies of two women and two children.

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Rosie McCabe

Hundreds of thousands of migrants try to leave Tunisia each year, many taking the perilous journey by small boat across the Mediterranean.

Many attempt to cross Italy, which has seen a rise in anit-migrant rhetoric given the recent spike in arrivals.

In 2022, according to the Italian authorities, more than 32,000 departed from Tunisia to reach Italy, including 18,000 Tunisians.