At least 13 Tunisians missing after migrant boat sinks off Tunisia, group says
At least 13 Tunisians are missing after their migrant boat capsized while attempting to reach Italy, with only two survivors reported. Human rights groups are criticizing the EU-Tunisia migration deal, arguing it has led to increased abuses against migrants.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean and the controversial nature of international migration control agreements.
At least 13 Tunisians are missing after a migrant boat sank off the Tunisian coast while sailing towards Italy, and two people were rescued, the head of a migrant rights group said on Saturday (August 22, 2026).
The boat set off early on Thursday, Mostafa Abdelkebir, the head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, told Reuters.
One of the two survivors told rescuers in a local boat they had been stranded at sea for hours after their vessel capsized. The second survivor was in critical condition, said Mr. Abdelkebir, whose group monitors migration issues.
Tunisia was once a major departure point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, but departures have fallen sharply over the past two years amid a crackdown and tighter maritime controls, backed by European funding and modern border-monitoring equipment, particularly from Italy.
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