Tunis, September 30 — The general security situation in the country was the focus of a meeting between President Kais Saied and Interior Minister Khaled Nouri and Secretary of State to the Interior Minister in charge of National Security, Sofiene Bessadok at the Carthage Palace on Monday afternoon, according to a statement from the presidency.

The President of the Republic stressed the need to redouble efforts to combat all types of crime so that Tunisian citizens feel safe at night and during the day, and that security forces are present to ensure their safety at all times and in all places.

The Head of State also referred to the sinking of a boat this morning about 500 metres off the coast of the island of Djerba, and ordered the search and rescue operations to continue in order to clarify the circumstances of this tragic and strange incident.

He pointed out that the island of Djerba is not a departure point for irregular migration and that some of the survivors who swam back to shore reported that they were staying in furnished apartments rented for 1,200 dinars per week.

It should be noted that a boat carrying between 57 and 60 irregular migrants, including children and women, sank at dawn on Monday, about 3 kilometres off the coast of the island of Djerba.

The death toll from the shipwreck rose to 15 after 3 more bodies were recovered on Monday evening, in addition to the 12 bodies recovered in the morning.