Search and rescue operations were underway on Saturday after a boat carrying 15 irregular migrants capsized off Tunisia’s coast, with only one person rescued so far.
National Guard spokesman Houcem Eddine Jebabli told Mosaique FM that the boat sank about 14 nautical miles off the coast of Zarzis between Friday night and Saturday morning.
Authorities had not confirmed any deaths at the time of reporting.
However, Mostafa Abdelkebir, president of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, said on Facebook that four bodies had been recovered. It was not immediately clear whether the bodies were linked to passengers from the capsized boat.
The incident highlights the continued dangers faced by migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean from Tunisia towards Europe.
Tunisia’s coastline is about 145 kilometres from the Italian island of Lampedusa, making the country a major departure point for migrants seeking better living conditions in Europe.
The central Mediterranean route remains the world’s deadliest migration corridor, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The IOM said earlier this month that migrant deaths and disappearances along the central Mediterranean route had more than doubled during the first four months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.
At least 914 migrants have died or gone missing along the route so far this year, according to the agency.
Tunisia has faced growing pressure to curb irregular migration from its shores. In 2023, the country signed a €255 million ($290 million) agreement with the European Union, with almost half of the funding allocated to efforts to tackle irregular migration.
The agreement, strongly backed by Italy’s hard-right government, was designed in part to strengthen Tunisia’s ability to prevent migrant boats from departing its coastline.
