Tunisian coastal town mourn death of residents who drowned at sea

Residents of the Tunisian coastal town of Ben Guerdane have attended the funerals of eight young migrants who drowned after the boat they were in sank on Friday.

They were among the reportedly 15 people who took to sea in a small vessel as they tried to cross the Mediterranean hoping for a better life in Europe.

Only one person has been found alive. He said he had been adrift for about 48 hours before being rescued by a commercial vessel.

The boat reportedly set off on Thursday morning from a location between Zarkis and Ben Guerdane, heading to the Italian island of Lampedusa, about 145 kilometres away.

Speaking at the funeral, Zarkis resident Ali Eknis, said they were paying their respects to “these young people [who] dreamed of a better future”.

“They embarked on the road to death, taking the difficult route by sea, because of the miserable conditions they were living in,” he said.

With most of the people who were on the boat coming from Ben Guerdane, the deaths have sparked a wave of grief and anger.

Protesters on Sunday said the town has long faced economic marginalisation and more needs to be done about conditions making the journey seem worth the risk.

Ben Guerdane resident Hamza Ardhawi said the situation in the town was getting worse every year.

“We are asking the local and regional authorities to pay attention to Ben Guerdane because, apart from this disaster, there are many others as well.”

“When someone is wounded, you have to treat them. You cannot leave them until the situation gets worse,” he added.

Another resident from the town, Noureddine Chafai, said people were tired of speeches and promises.

“Those responsible need to come to Ben Guerdane with several public projects and measures to facilitate the private sector. We need permanent jobs,” he said.

The International Organization for Migration says the central Mediterranean migrant route is the deadliest in the world.

Earlier this month, it said the number of migrant deaths on this route had more than doubled in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

It said at least 914 migrants have died or gone missing along the sea route so far this year.