TUNIS, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A unit of the Tunisian Maritime Guard has rescued 65 illegal immigrants of different African nationalities off the coastal city of Sfax in southeastern Tunisia, Tunis Afrique Presse reported Tuesday.
According to Houssem Jbabli, spokesman of the National Guard, the rescue operation took place on Monday evening, when a unit of the naval guard managed to rescue the illegal immigrants from a sinking boat sailing to the Italian coasts.
Jbabli explained that these illegal immigrants had sailed five days earlier from the coast of the Libyan city of Zouara.
"This group of illegal immigrants are from Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea, seven of whom were taken to the hospital because of their health condition," said the report.
The others were transferred to the Sfax naval base and handed over to the National Guard in the region to receive legal procedures.
