Two Tunisian teenagers trying to emigrate illegally died after hiding in a refrigerated container on a ship en route to Europe, civil protection officials said on Tuesday.
“Two people aged 16 to 17 died after entering a container with vegetables and fruit on a ship heading to a European country,” said Tunis Region Civil Protection Director Mounir Riabi.
The two minors were part of a group of four young people wanting to emigrate who spent around eight hours in the cold “before the ship's crew noticed their presence and returned to the port of Tunis”.
The other two were hospitalized and are “in a stable condition,” Mr. Riabi said, stressing that the group came from remote inland regions.
Last week the National Guard announced the disappearance at sea of about forty Tunisians who left Sfax (central east) and tried to reach Italy, whose first coast is about 150 km away.
According to the Italian Interior Ministry, 155,754 migrants landed irregularly in Italy in 2023 (+50% over a year), with Tunisians making up the second largest contingent (17,304) behind Guineans (18,204).
The Tunisian economy, hit by Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and a devastating drought for agriculture in 2023, is set for growth of 1.3% in 2023 and very high youth unemployment (around 38% ) practically silent.
The country had reached an agreement with the IMF for a loan and a $2 billion injection into its economy, but negotiations stalled when President Kais Saied rejected reforms recommended by the International Monetary Fund.
The Tunisian state is committed to repaying its debt (80% of GDP), but does not have the liquidity to provide its population with sufficient basic products, leading to recurrent shortages of flour, sugar or rice.
In addition to these serious economic difficulties, Tunisia has been rocked by strong political tensions since President Saied's coup on July 25, 2021, which was exacerbated in 2023 by the imprisonment of the main opponents.