Tunisia foiled at least 12 illegal migration attempts over the weekend by people attempting to travel across the Mediterranean Sea from Tunisia to Italy, the Tunisian National Guard announced on its Facebook page.
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The statement said the attempts were thwarted off the eastern Tunisian coast near Sousse and Nabeul provinces. It said 39 Tunisian nationals were rescued from sinking boats, although it did not say how many were trying to cross the sea in total.
The migrants were aiming to reach the small Italian island of Lampedusa, about 172 kilometers (106 miles) east of Sousse. Lampedusa has often been the first stop for illegal voyages heading towards Italy.