In Tunisia, Maritime Guards and the Navy have recovered 27 bodies and rescued 83 undocumented immigrants after their boats sank off the southeastern coast of Sfax province.
In a social media post, the Tunisian National Guard informed that the rescue operation was launched on Wednesday following an emergency call about two boats taking on water.
According to the Tunisian National Guard, during the operation, 83 of the migrants were
rescued, including 17 women and seven children. 27 bodies were recovered, including a baby. The search for the missing is still underway.
The boat was carrying immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa who tried to cross the Mediterranean illegally toward the Italian island of Lampedusa.
Located in the central Mediterranean, Tunisia is one of the most popular transit points for illegal immigration to Europe.