Tragic end to treasure hunt: 3 dead in Tunisia

A tragic end has befallen three young men in the Sherarda region of Tunisia's Kairouan governorate who were illegally digging for treasure. Their bodies were recovered on Monday evening after their families reported them missing since Sunday night, prompting a search and rescue operation.

During the search, a motorcycle belonging to one of the missing youths was found. Investigators examining the area discovered a pit approximately 8 meters deep that led to underground tunnels. After extensive efforts that continued until Monday morning, rescue teams extracted the lifeless bodies of the three young men from the tunnels.

The exact cause of death remains under investigation. Authorities are working to determine whether a soil collapse or suffocation from gases emitted by excavation equipment led to the fatalities. Images shared from the scene showed a crowd of local residents gathered around the pit as rescue and recovery operations concluded early Monday.

Despite being outlawed by Tunisian law, illegal excavations to find buried treasures, particularly in archaeological sites, are reportedly widespread. Similar treasure-hunting activities are observed not only in Kairouan but also in various rural regions across the country.