By Hassan Osman Kargbo
At least 40 migrants, including several children, have died after their boat sank off the coast of Tunisia, in what authorities describe as one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the region this year.
According to Tunisian officials, the overcrowded vessel went down near the Mediterranean port of Mahdia in central Tunisia while carrying around 70 migrants who were attempting the dangerous journey from North Africa to Europe.
Rescue teams from the Tunisian Coast Guard were deployed to the scene after reports of the sinking early on Thursday. Local fishermen also joined in the efforts to recover bodies and search for survivors. Officials confirmed that dozens of bodies had been pulled from the water, while at least 30 people remain missing and feared dead.
“All those on board were from sub-Saharan Africa,” a local security official said, adding that search and recovery operations were still ongoing. The authorities did not immediately provide further details about the victims’ nationalities or the exact cause of the sinking.
The tragedy is the latest in a series of deadly incidents involving migrant boats attempting to cross the central Mediterranean route, one of the world’s most perilous migration paths. Thousands of people fleeing poverty, conflict, and instability in sub-Saharan Africa continue to risk their lives each year in search of safety and better opportunities in Europe.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly called on European and North African governments to strengthen rescue operations and provide safer migration alternatives. They say the recurring loss of life highlights the urgent need for regional cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
In recent years, Tunisia has become a major departure point for migrants seeking to reach Italy and other parts of southern Europe, especially as border controls have tightened in neighboring Libya. However, most of the boats used are unseaworthy and overloaded, leaving passengers vulnerable to capsizing in rough Mediterranean waters.
The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 2,000 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean so far this year, making it one of the deadliest migration routes in the world.
Authorities in Tunisia say they will continue their search for any possible survivors while working to identify the victims and notify their families.
