TUNIS, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- A total of 11 illegal immigrants of different nationalities were rescued from a sinking boat off the island of Kerkennah in the province of Sfax in southeastern Tunisia, Tunisian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
"The rescue operation took place early on Wednesday morning, about 70 kilometers southeast of the Al-Ataya region, a locality belonging to the island of Kerkennah," said a statement by the ministry.
The illegal boat came from the Libyan town of Sabratah and was heading for the Italian coast.
The ministry indicated that these illegal immigrants, aged between 20 to 30, are of different nationalities, including two Libyans, one Sudanese and eight Bangladeshis.
The illegal immigrants were transferred to the Sfax naval base, the statement added.
The attempts of illegal immigration from the Tunisian coasts toward Italy have been growing despite strict measures by the Tunisian authorities to tackle the problem.
