Tunisian navy rescued 18 illegal immigrants of different African nationalities off the country's southeast coast, the Defense Ministry said in a statement released on Sunday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
"The rescue operation took place 50 kilometers southeast of the city of Zarzis in the province of Medenine," said the statement, adding that the group of immigrants included 17 Sudanese and one Egyptian.
"They confirmed that they had sailed from Libya towards the Italian coast," it said.
On Saturday, the Tunisian Ministry of Interior announced that it had foiled two illegal immigration attempts off the coast of Sfax where 94 illegal immigrants, including 58 Tunisians and 36 of different African nationalities, had been arrested.
Attempts of illegal immigration from the Tunisian coasts towards Italy usually multiply during the summer season because of favorable weather conditions.