Tunisia says recovered 12 migrants’ drowned bodies

Tunisia's national guard has recovered the bodies of 12 migrants whose boat capsized off the southeastern coast, according to a statement on Sunday. Two individuals remain missing after the incident, which occurred 14 nautical miles off the shore of Zarzis on Friday night. The vessel, carrying 15 migrants, had only one survivor.

The search efforts yielded three bodies on the previous day and nine more today, raising the total count to 12. Protests erupted in Ben Guerdane, a marginalized city near the Libyan border, where 14 of the migrants hailed from. These demonstrators blocked roads and set tires ablaze in response to the tragedy. Tunisia, situated approximately 145 kilometers from the Italian island of Lampedusa, serves as a primary departure point for migrants embarking on the perilous Mediterranean crossing in pursuit of better prospects in Europe.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that the central Mediterranean route, identified as the world's deadliest migration path, witnessed a more than doubling of migrant fatalities in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period in the previous year. As of now, at least 914 migrants have perished or gone missing along this route this year.

In 2023, Tunisia entered into a €255 million (US$290 million) agreement with the European Union, with nearly half of the funds allocated to combatting irregular migration. This pact, enthusiastically endorsed by Italy's right-wing government, sought to fortify Tunisia's ability to deter boats from departing its coastline.