On Wednesday, Tunisian Interior Minister Kamal Al-Faqi confirmed that the Tunisian Coast Guard has recovered 901 bodies of drowned migrants in the sea, up until July 20th this year.
Out of the recovered bodies, 36 were identified as Tunisians, and 267 were foreigners, while the identities of the rest remain unknown.
This death toll marks the deadliest recorded in years.
Tunisia’s coasts have witnessed a surge in migration waves this year, accompanied by tragic recurring incidents of overcrowded boats carrying migrants, most of whom come from sub-Saharan African countries, including women and children.
According to data from the Ministry of Interior, the Coast Guard units have rescued 15,327 migrants, with over 14,000 of them being foreigners, in their attempts to cross the Mediterranean Sea towards Italian territories.
Al-Faqi criticized the inadequate cooperation with international migration organizations in handling the bodies, citing the lack of sufficient cooling devices and body preservation equipment upon their recovery, particularly for decomposed bodies.
Earlier, Tunisian President Kais Saied also made sharp criticisms against international organizations operating in Tunisia, amidst the escalating crisis of irregular migrants in the country.
This month, Tunisia signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Union to prevent the flow of migrants through its coasts, in exchange for economic and financial support, including 100 million euros allocated to support the rescue and monitoring efforts of the Tunisian Coast Guard.
