Up to 70 migrants drown after boat capsizes off Tunisia
TUNIS, Tunisia — As many as 70 migrants trying to reach Europe from Libya drowned Friday when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, and at least 16 other people from the boat were rescued, according to U.N. migration officials and Tunisia’s state news agency.
The International Organization for Migration called it the deadliest migrant boat sinking since January. The drownings happened as migrant arrivals to Europe are decreasing.
The smuggling boat left Libya on Thursday and sent a distress signal in international waters early Friday off the Tunisian coastal city of Sfax, according to an IOM official in Tunisia and a statement from Tunisia’s Defence Ministry. Between 60 and 70 people drowned, said the official, who wasn’t authorized to give details about the emergency and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Three bodies have been recovered, the Defence Ministry said.