32 people perished in the devastating shipwreck tragedy that struck Tunisia!

Unfortunate news has emerged as several people lost their lives when a boat carrying migrants sank off the coast of Tunisia. The incident has left many in a state of shock and distress.

• 32 bodies have been discovered after a boat carrying migrants sank off the coast of Tunisia. This tragic event has left a lasting impact on many lives.
• The body of the boat’s captain was also found and it serves as a stark reminder of the danger that migrants face when attempting to reach Europe.
• The Tunisian coastguard intercepted over 14 000 migrants trying to reach Europe from January to March. This is a staggering number and highlights the severity of the situation.

The death toll after a boat carrying sub-Saharan migrants sank off Tunisia this week rose to 32 on Friday after another eight bodies were recovered, the coastguard said. The ongoing search and rescue operations have unearthed the devastating reality of this tragedy.

On Wednesday, the day after the sinking off the Tunisian port of Sfax, the authorities said 10 people had died. That toll was revised to 24 a day later, after another 14 bodies were found. The fluctuating death toll only adds to the confusion and heartache.

Also recovered on Thursday was the body of the boat’s Tunisian captain. The loss of life in this incident is immeasurable and the discovery of the captain’s body only amplifies this.

On Friday, the coastguard spokesman said search operations had located the bodies of a further eight drowned migrants, taking the toll of dead in the tragedy to 32. The situation is grim and continues to unfold in devastating ways.

In recent weeks, dozens of migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, have drowned off Tunisia in desperate attempts to reach Europe. This is a crisis of epic proportions and one that needs urgent attention and solutions.

The North African country’s coastguard said last week it had intercepted more than 14,000 migrants trying to reach Europe from January to March, upwards of five times the number of those who attempted the trip in the first quarter of 2022. The numbers are staggering and indicate the severity of the issue at hand.

READ |xa0More than 64% of deaths on Mediterranean Sea migrant routes this year were Africans This statistic further highlights the devastating impact of this tragedy, one that has only just begun to reveal its true depth.

Tunisia, whose coastline is less than 150km from the Italian island of Lampedusa, has long been a favored stepping stone for migrants attempting the perilous sea journey. The proximity of these two locations only contributes to the severity of the situation.

The number of departures intensified after President Kais Saied made a fiery speech on February 21 claiming that illegal immigration was a demographic threat to Tunisia. This political rhetoric has only added fuel to the already raging flames of this crisis.

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