A maritime unit in Tunisia’s eastern province of Mahdia has rescued 64 people who were stranded at sea while attempting to reach Europe, the Tunisian General Directorate of Customs announced on Saturday via its Facebook account.
The 64 individuals, of various nationalities, were found Friday evening aboard a boat that had run out of fuel. The maritime unit conducted a search and rescue operation as part of efforts to combat irregular immigration.
Initial investigations indicated that the boat had sailed from a neighboring country, though the specific country was not mentioned. The rescued individuals were transferred to the port of Chebba and handed over to the Tunisian Coast Guard for further legal procedures.
Tunisia, located in the central Mediterranean, remains a major transit point for illegal immigrants seeking to cross into Europe.