At the very least 13 Sudanese migrants have died and one other 27 are lacking after their boat sank off the coast of Tunisia, a Tunisian official stated.
Solely two individuals on board survived, whereas search operations have been underway for these lacking, he added.
It’s the newest catastrophe to strike migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe.
Sudan plunged into civil battle about 10 months in the past, forcing no less than 9 million individuals to flee their properties.
Most of them took refuge both in safer elements of the nation or in neighboring states.
Some overseas governments, together with the UK, have evacuated their nationals trapped in Sudan after preventing broke out between the military and a rival paramilitary power final April.
Greater than 2,270 migrants died in 2023 attempting to cross the central Mediterranean, a 60% enhance over the earlier 12 months, in line with the Worldwide Group for Migration.
Final 12 months, the European Union (EU) signed an settlement with Tunisia to sort out irregular migration.
The deal contains $118m (£90m) to cease smuggling, strengthen borders and ship migrants again.
The most recent catastrophe occurred after the boat left Jebiniana, a small city close to the town of Sfax.
A judicial spokesman within the Tunisian metropolis of Monastir, Farid Ben Jha, stated an investigation was underway into the incident.
The migrants have been in all probability “exploited in a case of human trafficking or within the formation of a felony group to achieve Europe illegally”, was quoted by the AFP information company.
