Hommam Al Nassim 
The Tunisian coast guard announced the recovery of nine bodies in a state of decomposition from the sea off the coast of Mahdia, five of which were found on Cheba beach and two on Salqata beach.
Farid Ben Juha, spokesman for the Mahdia and Monastir courts, said the bodies were taken to the region’s hospital for genetic analysis to identify the victims.
The Tunisian official denied information circulating about the links of these bodies to sub-Saharan migrants, noting that investigations are still underway to determine the exact causes of these deaths.
The incident comes weeks after 36 bodies of irregular migrants were recovered in Tunisia in separate incidents on the coast of Djerba and Sfax.
According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly a hundred people have died or disappeared in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean since the beginning of the year, double the figure recorded in the same period last year.
The phenomenon of “stealth boats”, which are found floating at sea or anchored on beaches with no people on board, has also been reported, suggesting migrants may drown during the transit without their bodies being found.
The International Organization for Migration noted that more than 2,498 people died in the Mediterranean in 2023, up 75 percent from the previous year.
The topic received attention at the last consultative meeting held on April 22nd of the Maghreb Union in Tunis, where the leaders of Tunisia, Algeria and Libya announced their commitment to joint action to combat the dangers of irregular migration.
An international report classifies Libya among the countries that “most stifle” for freedom of expression