Violent protests erupted in the Tunisian border town of Ben Guerdane on Sunday night after a migrant boat carrying 15 people capsized off the southeastern coast, killing at least 12. Crowds burned tyres and blocked roads as anger over the deaths boiled over. Police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who blamed years of economic neglect and a lack of opportunities for driving young people to risk the deadly Mediterranean crossing.
Boat sank off Zarzis
The vessel, believed to be heading for Italy, sank late on Friday about 14 nautical miles (26km) off Zarzis after departing from a stretch of coast between the two towns. Fourteen of those on board were from Ben Guerdane and one from Zarzis. Most were young.
Only one survivor was found, reported Al Jazeera. He drifted for nearly 48 hours before a commercial vessel rescued him. The Tunisian National Guard confirmed 12 bodies had been recovered by Sunday. Search efforts continued on Monday, with volunteers in Zarzis heading out on fishing boats looking for two people still missing.
Grief and fury in the region
Mostafa Abdelkebir, head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, said the victims included seven members of the same family. A hospital in Ben Guerdane had received at least 19 migrant bodies over two days, though it remained unclear how many came from this boat. Genetic testing was under way to identify the dead.
The tragedy has deepened grief and fury in a region long marked by poverty and marginalisation. Protesters demanded better living conditions and economic development, saying desperation is pushing youth to risk everything at sea.
Imad Oulad Jibril, a lawmaker, called it “the tragedy of a nation that sees its youth fleeing the hardships of the land only to be swallowed by the sea”. The opposition Democratic Bloc party asked: “When crossing the sea becomes easier than living in Tunisia, we must ask: Who is at fault?”
Deadly migration route
Some Tunisians have called for a national day of mourning. Tunisia’s southeastern coast lies just 145km from the Italian island of Lampedusa, a key destination for those seeking to reach Europe. The central Mediterranean remains the world’s deadliest migration route. The International Organization for Migration said at least 821 people have died or gone missing on the route this year – more than double the figure for the same period last year. Across the Mediterranean, the toll stands at 1,065.
Similar disasters have scarred Tunisia before. In 2018 more than 100 people died or vanished in the Kerkennah tragedy, leading to the interior minister’s dismissal. In 2022 at least 18 died off Zarzis, sparking weeks of protests.
As volunteers pressed the search and families waited for answers, Ben Guerdane remained tense. The tyre fires and roadblocks of Sunday night underscored a deeper crisis: for many young Tunisians, the sea has become both escape route and graveyard.
