92 irregular migrants rescued off Tunisia's coast 

The Tunisian National Coast Guard on Friday rescued 92 illegal immigrants after their boat broke down off the coast of Medenine, southeast of the country.

In a statement to Anadolu Agency, Monji Slim, head of the Tunisian Red Crescent branch in Medenine, said that the Coast Guard rescued 92 illegal immigrants, holding Egyptian, Eritrean and Bangladeshi nationalities, after their boat was damaged and nearly submerged.

“The Tunisian Red Crescent provided first aid to the immigrants who left the Libyan coast with the aim of crossing illegally towards a European country, and rushed seven of them to the hospital due to the deterioration of their health,” Selim confirmed.

The numbers of irregular migrants who try to cross to Europe via Tunisia have increased since the January 2011 revolution, taking advantage of the lax security at the time. These rates quickly declined after the authorities cracked down on smuggling networks.

Recently, Tunisia witnessed a noticeable increase in the rate of irregular migration to Europe, especially towards the coasts of Italy, due to the repercussions of the economic and political crises that swept the country.