43 people including Bangladeshis feared to be drowned in the Mediterranean

Red Crescent Society of Tunisia suspected that 43 illegal migrants of four different nationalities including Bangladesh and Egypt were drowned while cruising from the coast of Zouara in Libya to reach Italy illegally during 28 and 29 June.

The accident took place as their boat capsized 28 km northeast of Zarzis. Tunisian coast guards rescued at least 84 survivors, TAP news agency reported on Saturday citing the spokesman for the national defence ministry Mohamed Zekri.

Reuters reports, quoting Red Crescent official Mongi Slim that the national navy rescued 84 migrants and 43 others drowned in a boat that set off from Libya's Zuwara towards Europe.”

Bangladeshis, Sudanese, Eritreans, Egyptians and Chadians were among the rescued migrants.

They had been taken to the port of Zarzis in order to take necessary measures against them, TAP news agency reports

According to the UN refugee agency, in the first six months of this year, more than 35,000 irregular migrants made the perilous Mediterranean crossing to reach Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Malta. More than 60 per cent of the migrants headed to Italy had cruised from Libya.

This year, at least 823 people drowned while crossing the Mediterranean. In March and April, 39 and 40 people respectively drowned as their boats capsized near to Tunisian coast.