Tunisia: Fifteen migrants missing in Mediterranean after boat sinks

Tunisia: Fifteen migrants missing in Mediterranean after boat sinks
Fifteen migrants have been reported missing after their boat sank in the Mediterranean, said Tunisian authorities.
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There has been an increase in migrants fleeing Tunisia amid the country's economic crisis [source: Getty]

Fifteen Tunisian migrants are missing after their boat sank in the Mediterranean during an attempt to reach Europe, authorities said Wednesday.

The boat carrying 19 Tunisians sank Monday night, said a statement by Tunisia's National Guard, which oversees the coastguard.

Four migrants were rescued by a fisherman after the boat sank, while the search for the remaining 15 continued Wednesday morning, the statement added.

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Tunisia, whose coastline is less than 150 kilometres (90 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa, has long been a favoured stepping stone for migrants attempting the perilous sea journey.

Last week, 32 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa drowned while attempting the crossing.

The number of departures of African migrants has intensified after President Kais Saied made a fiery speech on February 21 claiming that illegal immigration was a demographic threat to Tunisia.

The North African country is in the grip of a long, worsening economic crisis that has pushed many of its citizens to take desperate measures in search of better lives abroad.