At least 20 missing after shipwreck off Tunisia

The coast guard rescued another 17, two of whom are in critical condition, says Sfax court judge Faouzi Masmousdi.

At least 20 people are missing after a ship trying to cross the Mediterranean sank off Tunisia, according to an official, amid a drastic increase in the number of refugees trying to reach Europe by boat from the North African country.

The coast guard rescued 17 others, two of whom are in critical condition, after the boat sank off the coast of Sfax, Sfax court judge Faouzi Masmousdi said on Saturday.

In recent weeks, dozens have disappeared or died in several drowning accidents off the coast of Tunisia.

Tunisia has replaced Libya as the main departure point for people fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa and the Middle East with the hope of a better life in Europe.

The Tunisian National Guard said on Friday that more than 14,000 refugees, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, were intercepted or rescued in the first three months of the year as they tried to cross to europefive times more than the figures registered in the same period last year.

“Coast guard patrols prevented 501 clandestine attempts to cross the maritime border and rescued 14,406 (refugees), including 13,138 from sub-Saharan African countries,” between January 1 and March 31, it said in a statement.

The vast majority of the interceptions took place off the coast of the provinces of Sfax and Mahdia, whose coasts lie just 150 km (90 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Friday that Europe risks seeing a huge wave of refugees from North Africa wash up on its shores if financial stability in Tunisia is not safeguarded.

Meloni called on the International Monetary Fund and other countries to quickly help Tunisia avoid its collapse.

Tunisian Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar said last week that the country needed funds and equipment to better protect its borders. Tunisia had received equipment from Italy in recent years, but Ammar said he was outdated and not enough.