Tunisia rescues 612 migrants, recovers 18 bodies

Tunisia’s national guard has rescued 612 migrants and found 18 bodies off its Mediterranean coast. This happened after several boats capsized in the Sfax region. The migrants were mainly women and children from sub-Saharan Africa who were trying to reach Europe. The national guard announced the successful operations on Monday. They shared images of those rescued, showing the exhausted survivors clinging to large buoys. Some images showed a woman struggling to lift a child aboard the rescue boat, while other adults appeared lifeless. According to the national guard, they stopped several attempts by migrants to make the dangerous journey across the sea. Tunisia and Libya have become major points of departure for many people hoping for a better life in Europe. Each year, tens of thousands attempt the risky Mediterranean crossing.