Tragedy struck off Tunisia’s coast on Wednesday when a migrant boat carrying 70 people capsized.
Forty were dead—including infants—and 30 were rescued, officials said.
“Initial investigations indicate that there were 70 people on board,” confirmed Mahdia prosecutor’s spokesman Walid Chtabri.
All were from sub-Saharan Africa, hoping for a better life across the Mediterranean.
Tunisia, just 145 kilometers from Italy’s Lampedusa island, has become a key launch point for migrants trying to reach Europe.
But the central Mediterranean route is also one of the world’s deadliest.
Europe’s Migration Dilemma
More than 32,000 people have died or vanished since 2014, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Despite an EU deal worth €255 million aimed at curbing irregular crossings, desperate migrants keep coming.
Many are stranded in Tunisia after being turned away elsewhere.
President Kais Saied has urged faster “voluntary returns,” but many see no choice except the sea.
Meanwhile, in the UK, a deported Iranian migrant made headlines after sneaking back across the Channel, claiming he felt unsafe in France.
The case exposes flaws in London’s “one-in, one-out” deal with Paris—meant to swap rejected asylum seekers for approved ones.
As Europe tightens its borders, these stories lay bare a grim truth: no deal or distance can drown out desperation.
