Boat carrying young people from Ben Guerdane sinks off Zarzis, several missing
A boat carrying approximately 15 young irregular migrants sank off the coast of Zarzis, Tunisia, on the night of Friday, August 21, to Saturday, August 22, 2026. The incident has left several people missing, causing distress in Ben Guerdane and Zarzis. Colonel-Major Houssam Eddine Jebabli, spokesperson for the National Guard's general administration, stated that one passenger from Zarzis and others from Ben Guerdane were on board. The sinking occurred about 14 nautical miles from Zarzis. One passenger was rescued by a commercial vessel, and search operations are ongoing with naval and land forces, supported by a maritime guard helicopter and national army units. Separately, local fishermen rescued two young men from Ben Guerdane, one of whom was in critical condition and transported to Zarzis regional hospital. This differs from the National Guard's initial report of one survivor. According to a survivor and initial reports, the boat was heading towards the Italian coast when it broke down before sinking. The number of passengers might have exceeded fifteen, and a pregnant woman was reportedly among them. All passengers were said to be wearing life jackets, but adverse weather conditions dispersed them, complicating rescue efforts. Mostafa Abdelkebir, president of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, reported that four bodies have been recovered, but their identities have not yet been confirmed as passengers from the sunken boat. Abdelkebir highlighted the pain and pani