Bodies of around 210 migrants have been recovered by the Tunisian Coast Guard in little less than two weeks. The bodies washed up on the country’s central coastline, with the authorities saying they were migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and had been attempting to enter Europe.
According to Faouzi Masmoudi, a prosecutor who oversees migration issues, 70 bodies were recovered from eastern Sfax, the neighbouring Kerkennah islands and Mahdia. The three areas are the commencement point of most attempts to migrate to the Italian coast.
The sudden appearance of bodies has overwhelmed the capabilities of the hospitals. The Habib Bourguiba Hospital morgue in Sfax can only handle 30 to 40 bodies at a time. To ease the pressure, local authorities are burying the victims speedily after carrying out DNA tests and possible identification by relatives.
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Tunisia becomes the hotspot for migration
Recent months have seen a great influx of migrants using Tunisia as the main departure point to enter Europe. Earlier most migrants attempting to leave the conflict-ridden zones of Africa and the Middle East took the Libya route to enter the continent.
Notably, Tunisia’s coast lies just 150 kilometres (90 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa which makes it a lucrative option for the migrants to take the additional risk.
Over 14,000 migrants have been either intercepted or rescued in the first three months of the year by Tunisian law enforcement agencies, trying to enter Europe. The number is five times the figures recorded during the same period last year.
“Coast guard patrols prevent 501 clandestine attempts to cross the maritime border and rescued 14,406 [refugees] including 13,138 from sub-Saharan African countries,” informed the government.
According to the International Organization for Migration, migration to Europe reached a peak in 2022 with 189,620 making the journey toward the continent. It was the most since over one million Syrians fled their homeland in 2015.
Tunisia President Kais Saied in February ordered officials to take “urgent measures” to tackle irregular migration, claiming that “a criminal plot” was underway to change Tunisia’s demography.
Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar has pleaded with the international community that his country needs more funding and equipment to better protect the borders.
(With inputs from agencies)
