CAIRO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th December, 2020) A vessel carrying 20 illegal migrants from African countries sank on Thursday off the coast of the Tunisian city of Sfax, resulting in the death of 15 people, interior ministry spokesman Khaled Hayouni said, noting that other five people were saved.
"A boat with illegal migrants aboard sank off the coast of the Sidi Mansour area of the Sfax province. Sfax's coast guard units dredged 15 bodies from the sea and rescued five other people," Hayouni told the Mosaique FM radio broadcaster.
The vessel with citizens from various African countries aboard sank six kilometers (3.7 miles) from the coast, the spokesman added, noting that rescue operations have been launched.
Similar incidents regularly take place off Tunisia's coast. At least 17 people died in mid-October as a result of a boat crash, and, prior to that, in June, the coast guard pulled out 48 bodies of migrants from the sea, who were trying to reach Italy from the North African state.
