At least 35 people have drowned after a migrant boat sank off the coast of Tunisia. The country has become the preferred jumping off point for desperate migrants after Libyan forces tightened security. The bodies of 35 migrants were recovered off the coast of Tunisia Sunday, raising the death put out earlier by the defense ministry. As of 1 p.m. (1200 GMT), "35 bodies were recovered and 68 migrants rescued," said ministry spokesman Rachid Bouhoula. Seeking a better lifeSecurity officials said there were about 180 migrants packed onto the boat, including 80 from other African countries.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 04, 2018 04:18 UTC