Tunisia-Monastir : families of 24 fishermen detained in Italy call for release

Families of twenty-four Tunisian fishermen detained in Italy for more than one week now urged Tunisian authorities to take action to secure their release.

The father of the fishing boat’s owner Mohamed Mdimegh told TAP on Thursday people on board the boat were arrested and contact with the vessel was lost four days ago.

The fishing boat departed from the port of Téboulba  on  July 22 and sailed along the coasts of Mahdia and Chebba before the captain realised on July 25 they were sailing in international waters and that two fishermen and the marine mechanic were missing.

The two fishermen were rescued by Italian coast guards who asked the captain to come and pick them up, he said. The two rescued fishermen, as well as two others, claimed they paid the captain to help them reach the Italian coasts.

Consequently,  the Italian authorities seized the boat and detained its crew. The mechanic is still missing, Mdimegh further said.