Nine irregular migrants were rescued and the bodies of nine others were recovered by the Tunisian navy, after a boat capsized off the Tunisian coast, the Ministry of Defence said.

“Tunisian coast guards recovered the bodies while two units of the Navy rescued nine other migrants, including some in critical condition, after their boat sank on Monday near the port of Mahdia in a central-east region of Tunisia,” it said.

The migrants aged 25-30 were from varying African nations.

According to the statement: “The health condition of the rescued migrants was critical, and they were handed over to the National Guard unit in Sfax governorate to complete the legal procedures regarding them.”

Meanwhile, a navy unit including a team of divers continues to search for possible survivors.

Tunisia says it thwarts migrant attempts to cross the Mediterranean and head to Europe on a weekly basis.