Boat sinks off Tunisia with more than 40 Sudanese on board
A Tunisian official has reported that at least 13 Sudanese migrants lost their lives and 27 others remain unaccounted for after their boat capsized off the coast of Tunisia. Only two individuals from the vessel managed to survive, with search operations ongoing to find those missing.
This tragic incident adds to a series of disasters affecting migrants attempting to make the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean Sea from Africa to Europe. Sudan has been grappling with a civil war for approximately ten months, leading to the displacement of at least nine million people. Many have sought refuge in safer regions within the country or in neighbouring nations.
Following outbreaks of violence between the Sudanese army and a rival paramilitary force last April, some foreign governments, including the UK, evacuated their citizens stranded in Sudan.
According to the International Organization for Migration, over 2,270 migrants perished in 2023 while attempting the Central Mediterranean crossing, marking a 60% increase compared to the previous year.