This is an entry from: LIVE BLOG: The Middle East as it happens
Tunisia arrests 44 illegal migrants
8 October 2014 21:03 BST
Tunisia coast guards on Wednesday foiled an attempt by 44 people to illegally immigrate to Italy by sea.
Coast guard chief in the eastern Tunisian province of Mahdia, Karim Ayari said coast guards had received a request for help at 6:00am on Wednesday from a fishing boat that broke down off the coast of Chebba city.
Rescuers found 44 people aboard the boat, who had planned to illegally travel to Italy, he said.
According to Ayari, 38 Syrians, four Tunisians and two Algerians were aboard the boat.