The boat, which had departed from the Tunisian town of Salakta, sank shortly after setting sail, killing nine women, 19 men and 12 children under the age of five, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).
An alert from a nearby fishing boat allowed the rescue of 30 people. Survivors included men, women and children from Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Guinea.
“It is one of the deadliest maritime incidents recorded off the North African coast this year.“IOM said in a statement.
“It underlines the urgent need for coordinated action to prevent further loss of life. along the Central Mediterranean route,” the agency added.
The rising death toll
According to the IOM’s missing migrants project, nearly 1,000 deaths and disappearances have already been recorded along the main route this year.
Since 2014, more than 25,000 people have died trying to cross from North Africa to Europe, making it the deadliest migration crossing in the world. The latest incident brings the total number of missing people in the Mediterranean region to more than 32,800.
Children have been among the most affected. At least 30 people have lost their lives off the coast of Tunisia this year alone, compared to 22 in all of 2024, the IOM said.
Forced by conflicts, crises.
Tunisia has become an increasingly frequent departure point for people seeking to reach Italy, amid tighter controls and worsening insecurity in neighboring Libya.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Tunisia is home to more than 10,600 registered refugees and asylum seekers, 86 percent of whom come from countries affected by war or widespread violence.
Many are survivors of torture or gender violence or are unaccompanied children. Access to essential services has become increasingly limited, increasing protection risks and leading some to attempt sea travel.
Guarantee safe and regular roads
The IOM reiterated its support for “protection-sensitive search and rescue operations” and called for the expansion of “safe and regular migration pathways.” He said countries along key migration routes must strengthen coordination and ensure humanitarian principles guide their responses.
Since 2018, interceptions by the Tunisian and Libyan coastguards have accounted for almost half of all search and rescue operations recorded. in the central Mediterranean.
This change can be attributed to several factors, including the decrease in the maritime patrol area of the Italian authorities and the transfer of EU border management assets from maritime vessels to drones incapable of carrying out rescues at sea, the IOM warned.