At least 11 migrants have died and three others are missing after a boat attempting to reach Italy sank off the coast of Tunisia, according to Greek public broadcaster ERT citing an announcement by Tunisian authorities.
The boat departed early on Thursday carrying 15 people, the majority of whom were young, before going down off the North African coast.
Tunisian coast guard forces recovered 11 bodies from the water. Search operations remain underway to locate the three missing passengers, involving units from the coast guard, the military, civil protection services and two helicopters.
Rescue operations and survivor account
One person has been rescued so far, according to the head of a local migrant rights organization. The survivor said the boat drifted helplessly without direction for 48 hours before a passing merchant vessel spotted and picked them up.
Seven members of the same family were among those on board, as well as a man traveling with his pregnant wife, according to the head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, who spoke to news agency Reuters.
All of the passengers on the vessel came from the Ben Guerdane region, an area located in southeastern Tunisia near the border with Libya.
Mediterranean migration route and EU agreement
The central Mediterranean remains one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world. People fleeing hardship in Africa and the Middle East frequently attempt the crossing from North African shores to southern Europe in overcrowded or unseaworthy boats.
The latest sinking comes amid ongoing controversy over European migration management policies. Last month, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other human rights organizations criticized the migration agreement between the European Union and Tunisia, arguing that it has normalized abusive practices against migrants and asylum seekers in the country.
The organizations also called on the European Union to suspend funding for border control operations involving Tunisian security forces.
