155 migrants rescued off Tunisia coast

50 irregular migrants whose boats broke down off the coast of Ben Gardane city of Medenine province in the south-east of Tunisia were rescued by Tunisian Coast Guard, in Ben Gardane city, Tunisia on July 08, 2021. [Tasnim Nasri – Anadolu Agency]

The Tunisian coast guards on Saturday rescued 155 irregular migrants off the country’s southern and eastern coasts, Anadolu reported.

“The National Guard managed on Friday and Saturday to thwart 16 illegal crossings of the maritime borders towards Italy and rescued 155 [migrants] aboard leaking boats,” a spokesperson for the Tunisian National Guard, Houssam Eddine Al-Jabali, wrote on Facebook.

The Tunisian Interior Ministry said, in a statement, that 100 rescued migrants were from Africa, without giving any further details.

The ministry added that the National Guard units in Sfax, Tablaba and Kelibia on Saturday detained 30 people who were preparing to cross the maritime borders illegally without revealing their nationalities.

Tunisia has recently witnessed a spike in the number of illegal migrants wishing to cross to Europe via Italy.

READ: 368 irregular migrants rescued off Morocco coast

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