14 dead when migrant boat sinks off Tunisia

In a statement on his Facebook account, the spokesman for the Tunisian National Security Forces, Husameddin al-Jababli, said that 54 people were rescued by sea guards from the sinking ship belonging to illegal immigrants of African nationality.

Cebabli said the bodies of 14 of the migrants were found, and that midshipmen stopped 14 illegal immigration attempts last night.

Stating that the maritime guards also rescued 435 illegal immigrants who wanted help, Cebabli said that 9 of them were Tunisian citizens and the rest were African citizens.

Every year, thousands of irregular African migrants arrive in Tunisia to reach Europe by sea in the hope of a better life.

Some of the immigrants from sub-Saharan African countries, who have been living in immigrant slums in Tunisia for many years, manage to reach Europe, while others die at sea. AA