Tunisia rescues 64 migrants from capsizing boat off eastern Mediterranean coast

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Authorities in Tunisia say 64 migrants were rescued from a boat that capsized off the country’s eastern Mediterranean coast after running out of fuel.

The country’s national customs agency said in a statement that maritime patrols sent to the capsized vessel rescued 64 people of various nationalities off the coast of Mahdia on Friday evening. No deaths were reported.

“The rescued migrants were trying to illegally cross by boat towards the European space,” the customs agency said.

Initial findings of the investigation suggest that the migrants had set off from an unnamed neighbouring country, likely to be Libya.

The migrants were taken to the port of Chebba, 37 miles (60 kilometers) north of Sfax, for further investigation.

More than 30,000 migrants set sail from Libya and arrived in Italy in 2024, according to UNHCR. The UN refugee agency said 61% of those arriving in Italy by sea came from Libya, followed by 32% from Tunisia.

The UN’s International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 100 migrants have died or gone missing in the central Mediterranean off the coast of Tunisia and Libya since the beginning of 2025. There is no official data about the actual number of migrants living in Libya.

By MASSINISSA BENLAKEHAL
Associated Press