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The Tunisian authorities reported this Sunday, March 26, that at least 29 people from sub-Saharan Africa died, after the two boats in which they were transporting sank off their coast. Migrants were trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Italy.
New tragedy in the Mediterranean. The sinking of two precarious boats leaves at least 29 migrants dead, who came from sub-Saharan African countries. This was reported this Sunday, March 26, by the Tunisian coast guard.
Eleven people managed to be rescued by emergency teams after the collapse registered in front of the Tunisian coast of Mahdia.
This is one of at least five shipwrecks that have occurred in this area in recent days. Since last week, five migrant boats have sunk off the southern city of Sfax, leaving a total of 67 missing so far.
Tunisia reports a significant increase in migrants trying to reach Italy
The country’s coast guard indicated that in the last four days it prevented the advance of around 80 boats that were heading to the European nation and that it detained more than 3,000 people, mostly from African countries.
According to UN data, at least 12,000 immigrants who arrived on Italian territory this year set sail from Tunisia, a considerable increase compared to the 1,300 registered in the same period of 2022.
This situation occurs at a time when the Tunisian territory replaces Libya as the main point of departure for people fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa and the Middle East, hoping to build a better life in Europe.
But the latest loss of life also comes amid a campaign of arrests of undocumented sub-Saharan Africans by Tunisian authorities.
According to statistics from the Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights, his country’s coast guard prevented more than 14,000 migrants from leaving by boat during the first three months of 2023, compared with 2,900 during the same period last year.
Italy ratifies its controversial anti-immigration policy
The sea crossings that try to reach Italian territory occur amid the strong position against irregular immigration by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, leader of the most far-right government the country has had since the era of Benito Mussolini.
Last February, Rome approved a controversial law that limits the rescues that humanitarian organizations can make overseas.
The rule it forces the NGO vessels to ask the authorities for the assignment of a port, after carrying out a first rescue, and to go to that place without deviating to respond to more vessels that may be in danger.
In case of breaching the stipulations, the salvage organizations are exposed to sanctions of 50,000 euros for the ships and up to 10,000 euros for the captain and the owner of the ship, as well as the detention of the ship and the seizure of the same if a recidivism.
Different humanitarian organizations, such as the Spanish NGO Salvamento Marítimo, point out that the new Italian provisions violate International Law.
Last Friday, Meloni reiterated his policy while saying that Europe risks seeing a huge wave of migrants from North Africa arrive on its shores if financial stability in Tunisia is not safeguarded.
The premier called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and some countries to quickly help that nation to avoid what she called a “collapse.”
With Reuters and EFE
