TUNIS, Tunisia / ISTANBUL

Eight irregular migrants were found dead on the coast of the Sfax province in eastern Tunisia, local authorities said Monday.

The Tunisian National Guard said in a statement that a rescue operation was launched by coast guard and naval forces after a sailor reported the sinking of a boat off the coast of El Awabed in Sfax on Sunday morning.

According to the statement, the operation resulted in “the rescue of 29 irregular migrants from Sub-Saharan African countries and other foreign nationalities, in addition to the recovery of 8 bodies.”

Rescue and relief efforts are still underway, authorities said.

For years, North African countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Mauritania have witnessed attempts by migrants – mainly from sub-Saharan Africa – to reach Europe, hoping for a better life. While some of the migrants manage to reach their destination, others often die during the journey.