A migrant vessel en route to Italy capsized off the Tunisian coast on Thursday, leaving at least 13 people missing and two survivors, according to a human rights monitor.

A boat carrying migrants sank off the coast of Tunisia while attempting to reach Italy, resulting in at least 13 people missing and two individuals rescued, Mostafa Abdelkebir, head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, reported on Saturday. The vessel departed early Thursday morning before capsizing at sea. One survivor recounted being stranded for hours following the incident, while the second rescued person remained in critical condition at the time of reporting.

Tunisia has historically served as a significant launching point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe. However, departures have declined substantially over the past two years following increased enforcement measures, including stricter maritime controls and enhanced border surveillance systems, supported by European funding and Italian monitoring technology.

The incident occurs amid international scrutiny of migration policies in the region. Multiple human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, issued a joint statement last month expressing concern that the European Union-Tunisia migration agreement has enabled serious abuses against migrants and asylum seekers. These groups have called for the EU to halt funding for migration-related activities involving Tunisian security forces. Tunisia has not directly addressed these allegations but has previously emphasized the pressures created by migration flows, with President Kais Saied stating in 2023 that the influx posed demographic concerns.

The central Mediterranean route remains one of the world's most perilous migration corridors, traversed by individuals from African and Middle Eastern nations seeking European entry, frequently aboard overcrowded or unseaworthy vessels.