At least 11 migrants drowned in a shipwreck off Tunisia as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, while 21 others were rescued by the coastguard, the army spokesman said on Friday.
He added the coastguard had recovered five bodies, while the search was still under way for six more drowned.
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Tunisia is a key departure point, just 140 kilometers from the Italian island of Lampedusa, according to AFP.
According to the FTDES rights group, the Tunisian coast guard intercepted about 19,500 people attempting to cross the Mediterranean in the first nine months of last year.
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