Tunisia says it rescued 125 Europe-bound migrants

Tunisian authorities say they rescued more than a hundred Europe-bound migrants at sea
1 min read
01 November, 2021
Tunisia is a key departure point for many migrants hoping to reach Europe [Getty]

Tunisia's coastguard has rescued 125 Europe-bound migrants since Saturday, the interior ministry said.

A statement on Sunday said 112 of the migrants were from sub-Saharan Africa, and were brought to shore in six separate operations. The nationalities of the others were not specified.

Tunisia is a key departure point for many migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, who cross the continent hoping to attempt the dangerous sea crossing to Europe.

But they also include citizens from Tunisia in search of a better life as their country grapples with a severe political and socio-economic crisis.

In mid-October, four Tunisians migrants died and 19 others went missing after their boat capsized off the country's eastern coast.

On Sunday, media reported that five bodies, including one of a child, were found in the vicinity of that incident.