In a devastating incident, a boat bound for Europe sank off Tunisia’s coast, leading to the loss of at least five lives and leaving seven individuals missing. The tragic event unfolded near Sidi Mansour, just off the city of Sfax. Faouzi Masmoudi, a court spokesman in Sfax, confirmed the unfortunate news on Monday.

The boat, carrying 35 passengers, the majority of whom were Tunisians, including women and children, went down shortly after departing from the coast. Among the victims are two women and one child. The efforts of rescue teams resulted in the successful retrieval of 23 people. Shockingly, the boat sank less than an hour after setting sail.

Tunisia serves as a prominent route for refugees and migrants attempting to reach Europe. The frequency of departures from Tunisia has surged in recent months, contributing to an alarming rise in tragic maritime incidents.

This incident follows closely on the heels of a similar disaster last week, where a boat carrying 20 Tunisians sank just a mere 120 meters from the coast of Gabes. The outcome was equally grim, with at least two casualties, including an infant.

The court is launching a comprehensive investigation into this most recent shipwreck, as search and rescue operations continue unabated. The International Organisation for Migration reports that this year has seen over 1,800 fatalities on the central Mediterranean route, doubling last year’s count.

A surge in departures is evident, with the Tunisian coastguard recording the interception of 34,290 people attempting to cross to Europe in the first six months of 2023, compared to 9,217 during the same period in 2022. This trend is partly attributed to President Kais Saied’s claims in February that irregular migrants were posing security risks and demographic challenges.

As the country grapples with economic turmoil and scarcity of essential supplies, Tunisians have increasingly resorted to sea journeys. The government’s strategic partnership with the European Union, which allocates 100 million euros to counter undocumented immigration, aims to address this issue. However, the EU’s association with President Saied has raised criticism due to his increasing authoritarianism and treatment of both migrants and domestic opponents.