Tunisian coastguard retrieves bodies of 13 migrants, rescues hundreds

The Tunisian coastguard has retrieved the bodies of 13 migrants off Tunisia and rescued 1,867 others in a number of separate incidents in the Mediterranean, the national guard said on Sunday.

Authorities arrested 14 people involved in mediation and human smuggling, confiscated 16 iron boats and 47 marine engines, and also uncovered a random workshop prepared to manufacture boats designated for irregular migration.

With the improvement in weather, the number of migrant boats heading from Tunisia to the Italian coast has increased significantly.

Last year witnessed record numbers of migrants crossing the Mediterranean from the coast of Tunisia, with more than 1,300 dying at sea, according to data from the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights.