- Two bodies have been recovered and 12 people are missing after a migrant boat capsized off the southern Tunisian coast, according to Tunisia's national guard.
- The boat set off early on Thursday (August 20) with about 15 people aboard between the cities of Zarzis and Ben Guerdane.
- A commercial ship found the sole survivor on Saturday (August 22) in a life jacket.
- Helicopter and coast guard boats were dispatched to search for more survivors, as the migrants were believed to be headed toward Italy.
A boat carrying migrants capsized off the southern coast of Tunisia, leading to the recovery of two bodies and leaving about 12 individuals missing. The incident occurred on August 20, 2026, as the boat departed from between Zarzis and Ben Guerdane, with approximately 15 people on board.1
A survivor was rescued by a commercial ship on August 22, found wearing a life jacket. Authorities have dispatched helicopters and coast guard boats to search for additional survivors, according to reports from the scene.
Zarzis has historically been a departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe, and this incident echoes a similar tragedy in 2022 when a boat carrying 18 people went missing. Protests erupted following that incident, with families accusing authorities of inadequate search efforts and mishandling of recovered bodies.
Migrant departures from Tunisia have decreased significantly since the European Union and Tunisia signed a comprehensive agreement in 2023, which included €105 million (USD 121 million) in migration-related support aimed at enhancing border control and curbing irregular migration. However, rights groups have raised alarms over the treatment of migrants in Tunisia, citing reports of collective expulsions, racial violence, and arbitrary detention since the agreement was enacted. Amnesty International has criticized the EU's support for border control, stating it perpetuates serious rights violations and traps refugees in a perilous situation.
“The boat set off Thursday between Zarzis and Ben Guerdane with about 15 people aboard, and a commercial ship found the sole survivor Saturday in a life jacket. Tunisia's national guard spokesperson Houssem Eddine Jebabli confirmed the recovery of two bodies, transferred to a hospital on Djerba.”
