The national guard reported on Monday that the Tunisian coastguard had recovered 16 bodies from the sea off the coasts of Maloulech and Salakta. This is the latest boat tragedy in the Mediterranean.

The bodies were discovered at the weekend, and then again on Monday. Houssem Jebabli is a senior national guard official who said that the victims' bodies were decomposing and could not be identified.

Last month, at least 15 Tunisians, including three babies, died and another 10 were missing when their boat capsized off the Tunisian coastline at Djerba, as they attempted to cross the Mediterranean into Europe.

Last month, the bodies of 13 sub Saharan African migrants also were recovered from the same area.

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 by Tarek Amara; Editing by Alison Williams & Gareth Jones

(source: Reuters)