At least five migrants from Africa have died and an additional 10 are missing after a boat carrying them capsized while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Italy, according to a judicial official.

The coastguard rescued 20 people who were on the overcrowded vessel, which sank off the coast of Louata in the Sfax region of Tunisia on Friday.

The Sfax coastline has become a popular departure point for migrants seeking a better life in Europe.

In recent months, hundreds of people have drowned while attempting to make the crossing from Tunisia and Libya to Italy.

The number of Tunisians attempting the journey has increased due to the country’s economic and financial crisis, with more than 18,000 people traveling by boat to Europe in 2022, according to the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights.