UNHCR, IOM: At least 40 people drown in shipwreck off Tunisia

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are deeply saddened by reports of a shipwreck off the coast of Sidi Mansour, in southeast Tunisia, yesterday evening. The bodies of 41 people, including at least one child, have so far been retrieved.

According to reports from local UNHCR and IOM teams, three survivors were rescued by the Tunisian National Coast Guard. The search effort was still underway on Friday. Based on initial information, all those who perished were from Sub-Saharan Africa.

This tragic loss of life underscores once again the need to enhance and expand State-led search and rescue operations across the Central Mediterranean, where some 290 people have lost their lives so far this year. Solidarity across the region and support to national authorities in their efforts to prevent loss of life and prosecute smugglers and traffickers should be a priority. IOM and UNHCR call for the cooperation of all coastal states, in relation to care arrangements for those rescued.

Prior to yesterday’s incident, 39 refugees and migrants had perished off the coast near the Tunisian city of Sfax in early March. So far this year, sea departures from Tunisia to Europe have more than tripled compared to the same period in 2020.

UNHCR and IOM continue to monitor developments closely. They continue to stand ready to work with the national authorities to assist and support the survivors, and the family members of those lost.

For more information on this topic, please contact:  

IOM:  

• In Geneva: Safa Msehli, [email protected] +41794035526  
• In Tunis: Riadh Kadhi, [email protected] +216 28 787 805 

UNHCR: 

• In Tunis, Ikram Houimli, [email protected], +216 58941076 
• In Geneva, Aikaterini Kitidi, [email protected], +41 79 580 8334