Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Tunisia: 13 Missing, Two Rescued, Rights Group Says

At least 13 Tunisians are missing after a migrant boat sank off the Tunisian coast while sailing towards Italy, according to a migrant rights group. Two people have been rescued, the head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, Mostafa Abdelkebir, said on Saturday (August 22, 2026).

The boat set off early on Thursday, Mr. Abdelkebir told Reuters. One of the two survivors told rescuers in a local boat that they had been stranded at sea for hours after their vessel capsized. The second survivor was in critical condition.

Tunisia was once a major departure point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean. However, departures have fallen sharply over the past two years amid a crackdown and tighter maritime controls, backed by European funding and modern border-monitoring equipment, particularly from Italy.

Last month, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and dozens of other human rights and humanitarian groups said in a statement that the EU-Tunisia migration deal had fuelled and normalised serious abuses against migrants and asylum seekers in Tunisia. The groups called on the European Union to suspend funding for migration and border-control activities involving Tunisian security forces.

Tunisia has not commented on the statement but has repeatedly said it is bearing the brunt of a major migration influx. President Kais Saied said in 2023 that the influx was aimed at changing the country's demographic makeup.

The central Mediterranean route is one of the world's deadliest migration routes, used by migrants from Africa and West Asia seeking to reach Europe, often in overcrowded or unseaworthy boats.

The incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by migrants attempting the crossing, even as European-backed surveillance and interdiction efforts have reduced the number of boats departing from Tunisian shores. Rights groups argue that these measures, while reducing departures, have pushed migrants into more dangerous routes and exposed them to abuses in Libya and other transit countries.

The Tunisian government has consistently rejected allegations of mistreatment of migrants, asserting that it is fulfilling its obligations under international law. The EU has defended its partnership with Tunisia, saying it aims to address root causes of migration and combat smuggling networks.

The missing Tunisians include men and women from various regions of the country, according to local media reports. Families have gathered at ports and coastal towns, waiting for news of their loved ones. Search and rescue operations continue, though hopes of finding more survivors are fading.

The United Nations migration agency, IOM, has recorded thousands of deaths and disappearances on the central Mediterranean route over the years. It has repeatedly called for more legal pathways for migration and stronger search-and-rescue capabilities.

The latest tragedy is a reminder that despite increased enforcement, the Mediterranean Sea remains a perilous frontier for those seeking a better life in Europe.