Migrants rescued by Tunisia's national guard during an attempted crossing of the Mediterranean by boat, rest on the beach at the port of el-Ketef in Ben Guerdane in southern Tunisia near the border with Libya, on January 6, 2022. (FATHI NASRI / AFP)
TUNIS – The number of bodies recovered off the Nabeul coast in northeastern Tunisia has grown to 20, the private radio station Shems FM reported Saturday.
"Security personnel retrieved eight bodies off the coast of Nabeul today, raising the total number of bodies to 20," Shems FM said.
Located in the central Mediterranean, Tunisia is one of the most popular points of illegal immigration to Europe
"Most of the bodies that were retrieved belong to illegal immigrants with Syrian passports," it said, adding the rest of the bodies have been transferred to an autopsy agency for the verification of their identities.
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Search is still underway for other immigrants, according to the reports.
The Tunisian maritime guard discovered 12 bodies of illegal immigrants off the coast of Nabeul on Friday.
Located in the central Mediterranean, Tunisia is one of the most popular points of illegal immigration to Europe.
Although Tunisian authorities have adopted rigorous measures to tackle the problem, the number of illegal immigration attempts from Tunisia to Italy has increased.
ALSO READ: 130 migrants feared drowned in Mediterranean, bodies found
