Two die as migrant boat sinks off Tunisia

In the midst of an increase in attempts to reach Europe, the coastguard reported that at least two Tunisians, including a baby, perished after their boat sank on Saturday shortly after departing the country's beaches.

For migrants undertaking risky crossings of the Mediterranean in frequently ramshackle boats in search of a better life, Tunisia is a significant entry point.

According to the coastguard of Gabes, North Africa, the yacht carrying 20 Tunisians went down at 2:00 am (0100 GMT) while it was just 120 metres (395 feet) from the coast.

“Two bodies have been recovered, one of a 20-year-old man and the other of an infant,” it said in a statement.

The coastguard said that five passengers were missing and that 13 additional people had been rescued in addition to ongoing search efforts.

Authorities in the city of Gabes have launched an investigation to “determine the circumstances of this tragedy”, it added.

According to the International Organisation for Migration, more than 1,800 individuals have perished in shipwrecks along the world's most dangerous migration route in the central Mediterranean this year, more than double the number from the previous year.

A shipwreck off the coast of Sfax claimed the lives of 11 migrants on Monday, and scores more were reported missing.

The coastal city of Sfax in eastern Tunisia, which is just 130 kilometres (80 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa, has become a major hub for migrant arrivals.

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