A refugee boat bound for Europe sank off the coast of Tunisia in North Africa, leaving eight Tunisians dead and six missing, reports said.
According to foreign media including Reuters and AFP on the 23rd (local time), the boat left between Zarzis and Ben Guerdane in southeastern Tunisia on the night of the 21st and was headed for Italy when it sank about 14 nautical miles (about 26 kilometers) off the coast of Zarzis.
Only one person has been rescued so far from the vessel, which had 15 people on board.
The Tunisian National Guard said, "Through the search operation, we recovered three bodies yesterday and five more today," adding that it is continuing to search for the six missing by mobilizing the military and the coast guard, civilian rescuers, and helicopters.
In response, residents in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, near Libya, blocked roads and set tires on fire in protests on the night before. During this, Tunisian police clashed with protesters. Fourteen of the 15 people on the boat were reportedly from Ben Guerdane.
Tunisia is about 145 kilometers from the Italian island of Lampedusa. It is one of the main departure points for migrants heading to Europe to attempt a Mediterranean crossing.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the central Mediterranean route from North Africa, including Tunisia, to Italy is the world's deadliest migration route.
So far this year, at least 914 migrants have died or gone missing on this route alone.