The Tunisian navy rescued 178 migrants of different nationalities who were trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe from Libya, the defense ministry announced on Sunday.
In a statement, the Tunisian ministry added that it had recovered the bodies of two other migrants during three rescue operations off the south coast of the country.
The migrants, who left the Libyan port of Zouara overnight from Friday to Saturday, are of Egyptian, Tunisian, Ivorian, Syrian, Bangladeshi, Nigerian, Malian, and Ethiopian nationality.
As of Thursday, the Tunisian Maritime Guard had already rescued 267 migrants, mostly from Bangladesh, who were also leaving for Europe from Libya, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Since January, more than 1,000 exile candidates who left Libya by sea have finished their race in Tunisia, a figure that has risen sharply, according to the IOM.
Departures from this country have significantly increased over the past two years, as has the number of routed migrants welcomed in Tunisia.
Reception centers in southern Tunisia are full, Tunisian Red Crescent leader Mongi Slim warned Thursday.
There were 11,000 departures from Libya between January and April 2021, or 73% more than in the same period last year, due in particular to the “deterioration” of the situation for foreigners in the country which is trying. to get out of a decade of conflict, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The UN counted at least 760 dead in the Mediterranean between January 1 and May 31, 2021 and 1,400 in 2020.
