عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Death Toll in Tunisian Migrant Shipwreck Rises, Search Ongoing

Migrants are seen during rescue operation in the Mediterranea Sea October 20, 2016. Yara Nardi/Italian Red Cross press office/Handout via Reuters
Migrants are seen during rescue operation in the Mediterranea Sea October 20, 2016. Yara Nardi/Italian Red Cross press office/Handout via Reuters
TT
TT

Death Toll in Tunisian Migrant Shipwreck Rises, Search Ongoing

Migrants are seen during rescue operation in the Mediterranea Sea October 20, 2016. Yara Nardi/Italian Red Cross press office/Handout via Reuters
Migrants are seen during rescue operation in the Mediterranea Sea October 20, 2016. Yara Nardi/Italian Red Cross press office/Handout via Reuters

The death toll in a migrant shipwreck off Tunisia's coast has climbed to 54 people as more and more bodies are discovered, and the search is continuing.

Tunisian search teams recovered the bodies of 13 men and women Thursday, according to the Defense Ministry. Earlier in the week, the bodies of two toddlers and 20 adults washed up on the beaches of Kerkennah Island off the Mediterranean coastal city of Sfax, and 19 other bodies were found floating in nearby waters.

Navy units and divers from the civil protection services are continuing to search the area for other possible victims, the health director for the Sfax region, Ali Ayadi, told The Associated Press.

Many of the victims were buried in Sfax on Wednesday, Ayadi said. All the victims are from sub-Saharan Africa, notably Ivory Coast, except for the Tunisian captain, according to Tunisian authorities.

The UN refugee agency says attempts to leave Tunisia for the Italian coast increased by more than 150 percent from January through April compared with the same period last year.

Tunisia's National Guard said last week that 140 migrants have been arrested recently trying to cross illegally. Most were sub-Saharan Africans fleeing tensions in Libya.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

WHO: Healthcare System in Sudan Is Collapsing

The WHO director visits the children’s ward at Port Sudan Hospital. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The WHO director visits the children’s ward at Port Sudan Hospital. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

WHO: Healthcare System in Sudan Is Collapsing

The WHO director visits the children’s ward at Port Sudan Hospital. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The WHO director visits the children’s ward at Port Sudan Hospital. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that Sudan’s healthcare system is “collapsing in some areas but holding up in others thanks to the tireless work of doctors.”

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Port Sudan on Saturday, accompanied by Dr. Hanan Balkhi, the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

This marks Tedros’ first visit to Sudan since the conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023.

Balkhi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the health situation in Sudan is challenging in many areas but improving in others due to the efforts of local doctors.

She highlighted the importance of Tedros’ visit in understanding the health crisis, particularly for children.

Balkhi also noted that the current security situation makes it difficult for doctors to work effectively. She said there are no accurate estimates of the financial needs for humanitarian and health support in Sudan.

“We hope for a quick resolution to the crisis and are working to secure the necessary support to help address these challenges,” she told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Tedros visited the Pediatric Emergency Hospital in Port Sudan and examined the overcrowded malnutrition ward.

Dr. Ayman Abdelkader, the hospital’s medical director, called the visit “very important” and noted that Tedros has promised to help set up a new children’s hospital.

Sudanese Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim welcomed Tedros at Port Sudan airport, noting that the visit shows the WHO’s ongoing support for Sudan.

Ibrahim stressed that the WHO’s work goes beyond financial aid, involving efforts to rally global organizations to fund activities in Sudan.

Tedros will meet with key officials, including Deputy Chairman Malik Agar and council member Ibrahim Jaber, as well as UN representatives and staff from shelters and health facilities.

Since the conflict began, more than 80% of hospitals and medical facilities in Sudan have gone out of service.

The violence has caused at least 30,000 deaths and over 70,000 injuries.

In June, the WHO warned that access to aid and health services in Sudan is “extremely limited.” About 15 million people in Sudan need urgent healthcare, including maternal and newborn care, cancer and diabetes treatment, and other essential services.