23 individuals remain missing after attempting to reach Europe via sea from Nabeul, Tunisia, the country’s National Guard announced on Saturday.
The National Guard, overseeing coastguard duties, stated that the search is ongoing as the group embarked at sea in early May.
“They set sail on the night of 3 May,” authorities report, adding that the families of those missing only notified the authorities ten days later.
On the city prosecutor’s order, the National Guard declared the arrest of five individuals involved in organising the trip. The report clarified that two of the missing individuals were relatives of the trip’s organisers.
Tunisia, alongside Libya, is a primary departure point for migrants risking perilous crossings over the Mediterranean Sea, hopeful to reach Europe.
The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) revealed that over 1,300 migrants died or went missing last year due to shipwrecks near Tunisian coasts.
Last week, Tunisian authorities reported a 22.5% increase in the number of intercepted migrants attempting to go to Europe from January to April compared to the same period last year.
During the first four months of this year, the National Guard “intercepted or rescued” a total of 21,545 individuals.
