Key facts
- Tunisian authorities recovered the remains of the last missing migrants from a sunken boat.
- The incident brings the total death toll to 14.
- The boat was carrying 15 mostly young people, including seven members of the same family and a pregnant couple.
- The central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Europe is considered one of the world's deadliest migration routes.
- One person was rescued alive and had been adrift for 48 hours.
- Search and rescue operations have concluded.
Tunisian authorities announced on Thursday the recovery of the remains of the final missing migrants from a boat that capsized off the coast last week, bringing the total death toll to 14. The vessel was carrying primarily young individuals, including seven from the same family and a couple, according to the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights.
The central Mediterranean route, utilized by migrants from Africa and the Middle East aiming for Europe, is recognized as one of the world's most perilous migration paths, often involving overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels.
Earlier in the week, the Coast Guard had reported finding 11 bodies. One survivor was rescued, having been adrift at sea for 48 hours before being found by a commercial vessel. The National Guard confirmed the conclusion of search and rescue operations and the handover of the bodies to their families.
Departures from Tunisia have decreased over the past two years due to a crackdown on migrants, supported by European funding and surveillance equipment. However, rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have criticized a 2023 EU-Tunisia deal, citing "reckless and violent interceptions at sea" and "serious human rights violations."
The International Organization for Migration estimates that over 35,000 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014. The Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights has previously estimated that around 10,000 Tunisians have disappeared at sea attempting to cross to Europe since 2011.