The bodies of 14 migrants were found off the coast of Tunisia in the past 24 hours, the Civil Protection Service of the African country announced today.

In recent weeks, Coast Guard vessels have recovered the bodies of more than 200 migrants who drowned trying to reach Europe. The majority of the victims were from sub-Saharan African countries.

Tunisia is now considered the most important transit country for migrants heading to Italy, having taken that “informal title” from Libya.

A growing number of migrants from sub-Saharan African countries are seeking to leave Tunisia as racist attacks against them have multiplied after President Kais Sayed accused them of “importing” violence and crime into his country.

Since the beginning of the year, 45,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to Italy, according to data from the Italian Ministry of the Interior, which underlines that this number rose to 12,000 in the corresponding period last year.