Tunisian Navy on Thursday rescued 15 illegal immigrants off the country’s Southeast coast.
The Defence Ministry said in a statement that the illegal immigrants were on their way to the Italian coast aboard a makeshift boat.
“The rescue operation took place 75 km east of the city of Zarzis in the province of Medenine.
“The immigrants, aged between 16 and 32, embarked on Monday night, from the coast of Zarzis,’’ the ministry said.
The illegal immigrants were transferred to the Port of Zarzis and handed over to the National Guard in the region to receive legal procedures.
The number of attempts of illegal immigration from the Tunisian coasts toward Italy has been increasing in spite of the strict measures taken by the Tunisian authorities to combat the problem.
