A judicial official reported on Thursday that the Tunisian Coastguard had recovered nine bodies, while six other migrants are still missing, after their boat sank just off the Tunisian coastline. This is the latest boating disaster for migrants in the Mediterranean.

So far, the coastguard has rescued 27 people from a boat that broke down due to bad weather and began taking on water. The boat was carrying 42 people, according to the testimonies of survivors.

The judge Farid Ben Jha said that at least six migrants were on board the boat which sank near the coast of Chebba.

All of the migrants aboard the boat came from sub-Saharan African nations.

Tunisia has been hit by an unprecedented migration crisis. It is now the main departure point from Africa for Tunisians as well as people seeking to live in Europe. (Reporting bTarek amara Editing by Mark Porter & Gareth Jones

(source: Reuters)