In one of the most devastating maritime tragedies in the region this year, at least 40 migrants, including 12 infants and preschoolers, drowned after their vessel capsized off the central Tunisian coast near the port of Mahdia on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
The boat was reportedly carrying approximately 70 individuals from various sub-Saharan African countries when it sank shortly after departing from the village of Salakta. While Tunisian naval units managed to rescue 30 survivors – comprising men, women, and children from countries such as Cameroon, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire – the sheer scale of the loss has drawn urgent condemnation from international humanitarian organizations.
The disaster highlights a growing humanitarian crisis as the Mediterranean remains the world’s most perilous migration corridor, with nearly 1,000 deaths and disappearances recorded on the Central Mediterranean route in 2025 alone.
Tunisian authorities have launched a formal investigation into the circumstances of the shipwreck, which occurred amidst mounting pressure from the European Union to curb irregular departures.
Despite a 2023 agreement involving approximately $127 million in EU funding intended to bolster border security and combat smuggling, critics and groups like the International Organization for Migration argue that the shift toward surveillance technology over active maritime rescue patrols has contributed to an increasingly lethal environment for those fleeing conflict and economic instability.
