Search and rescue operations conducted after the sinking of a vessel off the coast of Zarzis (Djerba) have ended with the retrieval of all bodies of the missing persons, announced the General Directorate of the National Guard.
In a communiqué, the institution specified that the last body was recovered on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, thus allowing the finalization of the identification of the victims, the tally of deaths, and the handing over of the remains to the families.
Fifteen people missing in the shipwreck
According to the data released, the tragedy reported the disappearance of 15 people following the sinking of the boat involved in an attempt at clandestine crossing.
Among the victims are 14 people from Ben Guerdane and one person from Zarzis. One person who participated in the irregular crossing operation was, however, able to be saved.
Significant resources mobilized for the searches
The search operations mobilized several specialized units, notably the floating units of the Maritime Guard, Maritime Customs, Civil Protection, and the National Navy.
Two helicopters belonging to the National Guard and the National Army also participated in the sweeps and locating the missing.
The General Directorate of the National Guard stated that these efforts were carried out as part of a continuous on-the-ground mobilization, with direct oversight by the President of the Republic and under the supervision of senior officials of the National Guard.
Suuport for the families of the victims
The General Directorate of the National Guard expressed its full solidarity with the families of the victims, extending its condolences and support to them in this painful ordeal.
It also conveyed its condolences to the residents of Ben Guerdane and Zarzis, as well as to all the relatives of the victims.
This new tragedy once again underscores the risks associated with clandestine crossings in the Mediterranean, which continue to cause heavy human losses among those seeking irregular migration.
