The Tunisian coast guard has found the bodies of 17 migrants who drowned after a boat carrying them to Italy sank off the Tunisian coast.
An official said the boat had 75 illegal migrants - 70 Moroccans and five Tunisians - when it sank off the town of Chott Meriem, 170 kilometres southeast of Tunis, a few hours after it left the Tunisian shoreline on Sunday towards Italy.
"The 11 rescued are 10 Moroccans and one Tunisian, but we have not identified those who were found dead," an official said, adding that the government has deployed eight ships and an army helicopter to search for the missing.
The North African country's government, keen to maintain good relations with Italy, has stepped up efforts to crack down on illegal immigration from the country's shoreline.
Authorities have so far this year stopped at least 90 illegal migration attempts to Italy from Tunisia , involving more than 900 people.