Tunisian National Guard spokesman Houcemeddine Jbabli said on Friday that 74 undocumented migrants of sub-Saharan African nationalities were intercepted off Tunisia's southeast coast while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Italy, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
"As part of the fight against illegal immigration, two illegal immigration attempts were foiled late Thursday night off the Sfax coast," Jbabli said in a statement.
Those immigrants were trying to cross the Mediterranean toward the Italian island of Lampedusa. The island of Lampedusa is about 80 km away from the Tunisian coast and is usually the first stop chosen by undocumented migrants for their sea voyage toward Italy.