According to a National Guard spokesperson, one illegal immigrant died and 75 others went missing when a boat carrying 100 immigrants sunk near Tunisia’s eastern coast on Wednesday.

Houcemeddine Jbabli said on social media that marine guard units recovered one dead and rescued 24 persons off the shore of Sfax city.

He went on to say that the hunt for the missing immigrants was still ongoing.

These immigrants left Zuwara, a Libyan seaside city. They were attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Greece to Italy.

Tunisia, located in the middle Mediterranean, is a common transit point for illegal immigrants reaching Europe.

Despite Tunisian authorities’ strict steps to combat the problem, the number of illegal immigrants attempting to enter Italy through Tunisia has climbed.