At least 40 migrants, including children, have died after their boat sank off the coast of Tunisia, in one of the deadliest maritime accidents in the region this year, authorities said.
The ship sank off the Mediterranean port of Mahdi in central Tunisia while carrying about 70 migrants, an official said.
All passengers on board were from sub-Saharan Africa, the official added, without elaborating.
| Quarante migrants d’Afrique subsaharienne, dont des nourrissons, ont péri mercredi 22 octobre dans le naufrage de leur embarcation au large de Salakta, près de Mahdia, en tentant de rejoinder les côtes européennes.
According to the spokesperson of the Tribunal de première… pic.twitter.com/LteUYWh9E0
— Tounes El Khadra | تونس خدرا (@TounesKhadra) October 22, 2025
This is the latest tragedy that has befallen migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Africa to Europe. According to UN data, during 2023 more than 210,000 people tried to cross the Central Mediterranean. More than 60,000 of them were stopped and returned to African shores, while almost 2,000 lost their lives at sea.
About 30 migrants were rescued in the latest accident that happened on Wednesday.
The Tunisian authorities have launched an investigation into the causes and circumstances of the sinking of the ship.
The country is facing increasing pressure to manage migrant flows fleeing conflict and poverty in search of better opportunities in Europe. The sea migration route between Africa and Europe is one of the most dangerous in the world. Last February, a ship sank off the Tunisian city of Sfax with more than 40 Sudanese nationals on board.
During 2023, the European Union signed an agreement with Tunisia to combat irregular migration. The deal includes $118m (£90m) to stop smuggling, strengthen borders and return migrants.
(Vijesti.ba)
