Death Toll in Migrant Ship Disaster Off Tunisia Rises

Arab World

June 11th, 11:47am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Illegal migrants are seen on a boat after being rescued by the Tunisian navy off the coast near Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, June 10, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer

The death toll from a ship packed with African migrants that sank off the Tunisian coast this week has risen to 46 after Tunisia recovered more bodies on Thursday, a civil protection official told Reuters. "The number of bodies recovered has risen to 46. The coast guard is continuing searches to find more bodies within this ship," said Mourad Maechri. Among the dead were at least 23 women and two children, he said. On Tuesday 20 bodies were found off the coast of Sfax. Mourad Turki, spokesman for a court in Sfax, said Tuesday that fishermen spotted the bodies in waters nearby and alerted the authorities. Turki said the victims were mainly from Ivory Coast, with the exception of the boat's captain, who was Tunisian. A total of 53 people had set out on the boat aiming to reach Italy. Illegal crossings from Tunisia to Europe jumped by more than 150 percent in January to April compared to the same period last year, according to the UN's refugee agency.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2329006/death-toll-migrant-ship-disaster-tunisia-rises