A hospital in the southern Tunisian city of Ben Guerdane has received at least 19 bodies recovered from the sea over the past two days following the sinking of a migrant boat at the weekend, a migrant rights activist said on Monday.
The boat reportedly carried seven members of the same family. Its sinking triggered anger and grief in Ben Guerdane, where protests erupted on Sunday night.
Demonstrators burned tyres and blocked roads, while police used tear gas to disperse the crowds. Protesters called for better living conditions and greater economic opportunities, arguing that years of marginalisation and a lack of jobs were pushing young people to risk dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean in search of a better life.
It was not immediately clear whether all 19 bodies recovered were from the sunken boat.
Mostafa Abdelkebir, head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, said genetic testing was underway to identify the bodies and determine how many had been aboard the vessel. Search operations were also continuing for people who may still be missing.
Tunisia has been a major departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe by sea, although departures have declined sharply over the past two years following increased security measures and tighter maritime controls supported by European funding, including border-monitoring equipment supplied by Italy.
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other humanitarian organisations have criticised the EU-Tunisia migration agreement, saying it has contributed to serious abuses against migrants and asylum seekers in Tunisia.
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