Over 40 Sudanese migrants on board a boat that sunk off the coast of Tunisia during the Europe migrant crisis.

According to a Tunisian official, a boat carrying Sudanese migrants sank off the coast of Tunisia, resulting in at least 13 deaths and 27 people missing. Only two individuals on board managed to survive, while search operations were being conducted to find those who are still missing. This unfortunate incident adds to the growing number of migrant disasters occurring as people attempt to cross the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe. The civil war in Sudan, which began approximately 10 months ago, has forced around nine million people to flee their homes. Many have sought refuge in safer parts of the country or neighboring nations. Following the outbreak of violence between the Sudanese army and a rival paramilitary group last April, several foreign governments, including the UK, evacuated their citizens stranded in Sudan. The International Organization for Migration reported that in 2023, over 2,270 migrants lost their lives while attempting to cross the central Mediterranean, marking a 60% increase from the previous year. In an effort to address irregular migration, the European Union (EU) signed a deal with Tunisia in 2022, providing $118 million to combat smuggling, strengthen borders, and facilitate the return of migrants. This recent tragedy occurred after the boat departed from Jebiniana, a small town near the city of Sfax. A judicial spokesperson in Monastir, Tunisia, stated that an investigation is underway to determine whether the migrants were victims of human trafficking or part of a criminal organization aiming to illegally reach Europe.