El Hencha: Another tragedy for the Tunisian city struggling with youth migration when Mohamed Lafi disappeared at sea overnight.
The loss of Mohammed increased the hope in El Hencha, just 150km from the Italian island of Lampedusa.
Her sister Ines faces the harsh reality that many families face when their loved ones risk everything to find a better life in Europe.
Mohammad, a 30-year-old taxi driver, left his home on the night of January 10 with nothing but his mobile phone.
Ines, 42, said: “He left without telling my parents, without clothes or bags.”
He seems to be “meeting his friends”.
Mohamed was one of 40 migrants, all Tunisians between the ages of 17 and 30, on board the ship, including a woman and a four-month-old baby.
Despite bad weather and rough seas, they decided to sail, their families said.
Last year, more than 1,300 migrants died or went missing in shipwrecks off the coast of Tunisia.
Italy has the second highest number of irregular migrants in 2023, with 17,304 people, according to Italian government officials.
The European Union last year agreed to provide financial aid to debt-ridden Tunisia in exchange for its commitment to stem the flow of migrants.
Tunisian town gripped by youth exodus
