Tunisian navy ‘rescues’ 500 migrants

TUNIS: Tunisian authorities said on Friday they had rescued almost 500 migrants whose boat ran into trouble off the North African country´s coast during a bid to reach Europe.

"A sea patrol supported by units from the navy and the National Guard at dawn on Friday rescued 487 clandestine migrants of various Arab, Asian and African nationalities," the defence ministry said. They included 93 children and 13 women.

The vessel had set off from neighbouring Libya and was heading towards Europe when it was intercepted off the Tunisian city of Sfax, it said. The ministry published photos of a vessel carrying dozens of people, with many others swimming next to it.