Tunisia’s navy today recovered 31 bodies off the coast of the North African country. Two children were among the victims, a spokesman for the National Guard said. The lifeless bodies were found near various locations, including the coastal towns of Sfax and Mahdia.
The people are probably from sub-Saharan countries. It is still unclear whether boats with refugees on board had previously been in distress.
One dead off Lampedusa
A boat with 35 people on board sank in Italian waters off Lampedusa that night. The crew of a fishing boat rescued 34 people, the body of a man was recovered.
The survivors boarded a Coast Guard vessel that took the people to Lampedusa. The search is on for other missing persons. According to the Italian Coast Guard, the boat departed from Sfax in Tunisia over the weekend.
Over 600 people arrived in Lampedusa
640 refugees on board 17 boats have arrived in Lampedusa since last night. The authorities on the southern Italian island reported a total of 21 landings with 819 people within 24 hours. The Italian Coast Guard ships escorted several boats into the port. Other boats headed straight for the island.
The landings came after a four-day break due to poor sea conditions. All those who arrived were accommodated in the island’s hotspot, which can accommodate up to 1,094 people, although there are only just under 400 places available.
