11 killed in migrant boat sinking off Tunisia coast

 Africa

At least 11 people have died after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Tunisia.  12 people are missing.  BBC news.

 The BBC reported on Monday that the boat was heading towards Italy with 37 migrants.  The boat sank last Tuesday local time.  After that 14 people were rescued alive by the Coast Guard.

Tunisia's official news agency TAP said the bodies of five people were recovered last Saturday night.  The number of people killed has been 11.

 More than 1,000 migrants are believed to have died trying to cross the central Mediterranean this year.

The United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) says 1,333 migrants have been killed or disappeared.  960 people are believed to have drowned.

 The Tunisian boat departs from the Sfax region.  It sank 40 miles from there on the Chebba coast near the town of Mahdia.  Most of those who attempted to cross the Mediterranean, hoping to reach Europe, began their journey through the Sfax region.

The Italian island of Lampedusa is located between the eastern coast of Tunisia and Sicily.  Most of those trying to get to Europe from North Africa try to reach Lampedusa.

 Frontex, the European border and coast guard agency, said that between January and August this year, 52,000 migrants entered the Mediterranean Sea illegally.  These migrants are mainly from Tunisia, Egypt and Bangladesh.