Over 20 Refugees Drown in Tunisian Coastal Waters

Tunisia’s Defense Ministry says over 20 refugees have lost their lives after a ship sank in the country’s coastal waters. Rescue efforts continue in the Mediterranean to find other victims.

A spokesman for Tunisia’s Defense Ministry said on Thursday (December 24) that over 20 refugees lost their lives when a ship sank in the country’s coastal waters, and rescue workers were able to retrieve their bodies from the water.

According to the report, five survivors have been rescued so far.

Search efforts continue in the Mediterranean Sea to find other victims, most of whom are from sub-Saharan countries.

Since Tunisia’s shores are not far from southern Europe, with other routes closed, refugees increasingly use this dangerous route to reach Europe.

Due to severe economic crisis in Tunisia and widespread unemployment, many Tunisian citizens are also pursuing migration.

Source: DW