12 dead, two missing after migrant boat sinks off Tunisia

Tunisian National Guard reported on Sunday the recovery of 12 bodies from a migrant boat that sank off the country's southeastern coast, with two individuals still missing. The vessel was carrying 15 people when it went down approximately 14 nautical miles off Zarzis on Friday night.

Search efforts yielded three bodies on Saturday and nine more on Sunday. The National Guard stated that operations to find the two missing passengers are ongoing. In response to the tragedy, residents of Ben Guerdane, a marginalized city near the Libyan border and the origin of 14 of the migrants, staged protests on Saturday night. They blocked roads and set tires ablaze to express their anger over the shipwreck.

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Search operations resulted in the recovery of three bodies yesterday and nine bodies today, bringing the total to 12.

Tunisia serves as a primary departure point for migrants attempting the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean Sea to seek better lives in Europe. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) identifies the central Mediterranean route as the world's deadliest migration path. The IOM noted earlier this month that migrant deaths on this route more than doubled in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, with at least 914 migrants having died or gone missing this year.

In 2023, Tunisia entered into a deal with the European Union worth 255 million euros ($290 million). Nearly half of this funding was allocated to combating irregular migration, with the aim of enhancing Tunisia's capacity to prevent boats from departing its shores. This agreement received strong backing from Italy's hard-right government.

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The central Mediterranean crossing is the world’s deadliest migration route.