The Tunisian coast guard has retrieved the bodies of 27 African migrants after two boats they were attempting to cross the Mediterranean in sank off the coast of Sfax, the national guard announced on Thursday.
The tragic incident occurred in waters off the city of Sfax, a common departure point for African migrants seeking to reach Europe.
This latest disaster comes on the heels of two separate incidents last month, in which the Tunisian coast guard recovered the bodies of approximately 30 migrants whose boat sank while en route to Europe.
In Thursday’s incident, the coast guard managed to rescue 87 people who were on the same two boats that sank off Sfax.
Tunisia is currently struggling to cope with an unprecedented migration crisis, having surpassed Libya as the primary departure point for both Tunisian and African migrants seeking better lives in Europe.
