(BSS/AFP) - Search and rescue operations were ongoing on Saturday after a boat carrying 15 irregular migrants capsized off the coast of Tunisia, an official told local media.

National Guard spokesman Houcem Eddine Jebabli, speaking to Mosaique FM radio, said the boat sank 14 nautical miles off the coast of Zarzis overnight Friday to Saturday, and that one person had been rescued so far.

The national guard did not say whether there were any confirmed deaths.

Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights president Mostafa Abdelkebir said on Facebook that four bodies had been found but it remained unclear if they belonged to missing passengers of the boat.

Tunisia, whose coast is some 145 kilometres (90 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa, is a key departure point for migrants seeking to make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean in search of better lives in Europe.

The central Mediterranean crossing is the deadliest migration route in the world, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The IOM said earlier this month that central Mediterranean migrant deaths had more than doubled in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

At least 914 migrants have died or gone missing along the route this year, according to the IOM.

In 2023, Tunisia signed a 255-million-euro ($290 million) deal with the European Union, nearly half of which was earmarked for tackling irregular migration.

The deal, strongly supported by Italy`s hard-right government, aimed to bolster Tunisia`s capacity to prevent boats leaving its shore.