Brussels: Europe and the Arabs - agencies
Attempts to illegal immigration across the Mediterranean continue in the hope of reaching the land of dreams in Europe, and with it the news of the loss of people or the announcement of a new death toll from drowning in the waters of the Mediterranean, and it was announced today, Saturday, that at least 20 immigrants were missing after their boat sank off the Tunisian coast. Reuters and other news sites
In a related context, the Tunisian Coast Guard announced, on March 25, that it had recovered the bodies of 9 migrants whose boat sank in the Mediterranean.
Migrant boat sinking
Tunisian media reports revealed that at least 34 African migrants were missing after a new boat sank off Tunisia.
And the floating units of the Tunisian Naval Guard in the coasts of Sfax and Cheb were able to thwart 30 operations to cross the maritime borders by stealth.
And the Tunisian Radio Mosaique reported; The aforementioned units were able to seize 2034 pedestrians, including 9 Tunisians and the rest holding sub-Saharan African nationalities.
And the Tunisian radio stated, saying: 7 bodies were also recovered (2 elderly, 4 children, and 1 infant).
Reuters reported that 4 boats carrying African migrants sank off the coast of Tunisia.
According to Reuters, a judicial official explained that this happened during the attempt of the boats to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Italy, which left at least 5 dead and 33 missing, while the Coast Guard rescued 84 others.
Judge Fawzi Al-Masmoudi explained that the rickety boats sank off the coast of Sfax, amid the increasing pace of migration towards Europe.
Madagascar coasts
And in the middle of this month, 22 immigrants died when their ship sank off the coast of Madagascar on its way to the French island of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, according to what was announced by the maritime authorities in Madagascar at the time.
"Forty-seven people boarded a ship secretly with the intention of heading to Mayotte, but it sank," the Ports, Sea and Rivers Authority said in a statement.
She added, "23 of the passengers were rescued and 22 bodies were found," while the search for the missing continues.
Smugglers use small motorized boats, and drownings are regularly recorded on the sea routes leading to European countries where migrants seek a better life.

The official of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, Ramadan Benomar, announced that at least five African migrants died and 28 others went missing after a boat sank off Tunisia while trying to cross the Mediterranean to Italy.

He pointed out that the Tunisian Coast Guard rescued five migrants who were on board the boat that sank off the coast of the southern city of Sfax, and that they were in a bad psychological state.
It is noteworthy that, during the period from January 1 to March 31, 2023, the floating units affiliated with the maritime regions of the National Guard were able to thwart 501 sea border crossings by stealth and rescue, and rescued 14,406 evaders, including 13,138 of sub-Saharan African nationalities, and the rest are Tunisians.
The official spokesman for the General Administration of the Tunisian National Guard stated that units belonging to the Naval Guard region in the center (the maritime regions of Sfax and Mahdia) were able, during the first three months of this year, to thwart 388 attempts to cross the maritime borders by stealth and rescue, and to rescue 13,259 transgressors (12,804 of South African nationalities). Sahara, 455 Tunisians).
He added that within the framework of the preemptive operations to reduce the phenomenon of stealthy sailing, the units of the maritime regions in the center, the coast, the north and the south were able to seize 63 individuals after their involvement in mediating and organizing irregular migration operations and seizing 135 marine vehicles and 12 vehicles for transportation.
He stressed that the General Administration of the National Guard is working to combat maritime crimes, protect human lives, and confront gangs involved in organizing illegal immigration operations.