On Thursday, February 8, 2024, a small metal boat carrying Sudanese migrants to Europe sank off the coast of Chebba, Tunisia, leaving at least 13 dead and 27 others missing.
The ill-equipped boat, reportedly constructed from scrap metal and overcrowded, capsized about nine miles from Chebba’s port during an attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe.
Farid Ben Jha, a regional court spokesperson, reported that the Tunisian coast guard rescued only two survivors from the capsized metal boat, which was reported to carry 42 people from Sudan.
The migrants embarked on the journey near the city of Sfax, the economic capital of Tunisia and a known departure point for dangerous Mediterranean crossings to Italy.
The International Organization for Migration noted that over 2,270 people died attempting to cross the central Mediterranean in 2023, a significant increase from the previous year.
Thursday’s incident follows a trend of migration attempts from Tunisia, involving both Tunisians and people from across Africa seeking better lives in Europe.
Some attribute the rise in migration attempts to comments made by Tunisian President Kais Saied regarding the demographic impacts of illegal migration.
Tunisia’s political and economic challenges, including high unemployment and dissatisfaction post-Arab Spring, have also influenced its role in migration.
The country faces difficulties in managing asylum seekers and refugees due to the absence of appropriate legal frameworks.
The number of irregular migrants detained by Tunisian authorities in 2023 has more than doubled from the previous year, the majority being foreigners from sub-Saharan Africa.
Concerns have intensified over Tunisia’s treatment of migrants, with reports of mass expulsions and arbitrary arrests, especially near the borders with Libya and Algeria and in Sfax.
The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights has highlighted the severe conditions migrants face, including violence and the destruction of property.
As the search for the missing continues, the international community is again faced with the critical challenge of addressing the complexities of migration, ensuring safety for those in peril, and fostering conditions that diminish the need for such dangerous journeys.
