About 15 Cameroonian migrants are reported to have drowned while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Tunisia to enter Italy recently.
According to reports, their inflatable boat had set off from Zuwara, on Libya's northwest coast, carrying migrants from some African States before it capsized. Images of the Cameroonian victims have been circulating on social media.
In recent months, several people have drowned off the Tunisian coast, with an increase in the frequency of attempted crossings to Europe from Tunisia and Libya towards Italy as the weather has improved.
Hundreds of thousands of people have made the perilous Mediterranean crossing in recent years, many of them often flee from war, authoritarianism and terrorism from various parts of Africa, with some migrants also leaving their home countries due to poor economic conditions.
The migrants frequently travel on unseaworthy wooden boats and rubber dinghies. Some pay a human smuggler to help them make the dangerous journey.
Since 2014, more than 20,000 migrants and refugees have died at sea while trying to reach Europe from Africa.
At least 866 people are feared to have drowned while making the journey across the Mediterranean from North Africa this year.
More than 40 died when a boat sank off Tunisia’s coast in April. In March, 39 died off the coast of Sfax and In June last year, at least 60 were killed when a boat sank.
According to figures from the Italian interior Ministry, almost 19,800 migrants arrived in Italy since the beginning of the year against just over 6,700 in the same period last year.
Source: ACP and News Agencies
