The Tunisian National Guard announced Sunday that search teams have recovered 11 bodies following the sinking of a boat carrying Tunisian migrants. The vessel, which was traveling toward Italy, reportedly carried 15 people when it departed early Thursday. According to the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, only one person has been rescued alive, leaving three individuals still unaccounted for as of Sunday.
The boat primarily carried young people from the Ben Guerdane area in southeastern Tunisia. The head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the passengers included seven members of a single family and a man traveling with his pregnant wife. The lone survivor informed authorities that he remained adrift at sea for 48 hours before a commercial vessel rescued him.
Tunisia’s coastguard, military, and civil protection teams are conducting an ongoing search for the three missing passengers, supported by two helicopters. The incident prompted a demonstration late Saturday in Ben Guerdane, where dozens of young residents gathered to demand a faster search response. Police used teargas to disperse the protesters.
For the broader Tunisian population and the international community, this event draws attention to the 2023 migration agreement between Tunisia and the European Union. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, stated last month that this agreement has normalized abuses against migrants and asylum seekers. These groups are currently calling for the European Union to suspend funding for Tunisian security forces involved in border control, which could impact the resources available for future maritime patrols and regional migration policy.
The outcome of this specific search remains pending as authorities look for the final three missing passengers. While no specific court dates or legislative votes were cited in relation to this sinking, the incident adds to the documented fatalities on a route frequently used by migrants from across Africa and the Middle East. Search operations involving the National Guard and military teams will continue until the missing are located or the operation is officially concluded.