The Tunisian navy said Saturday that it had rescued 81 migrants, one of whom was a woman, who had set out from Libya on a barely seaworthy vessel for Europe.

The damaged boat was boarded about six kilometres (four miles) off Tunisia’s northeastern coast, according to the navy.

According to officers, it carried 38 Egyptians, 32 Bangladeshis, 10 Sudanese, and a Moroccan, all aged 20 to 38, who had set off from the coastal village of Abu Kammash, close to Libya’s border with Tunisia.

They were handed over to the national guard for processing.

Tunisia and neighbouring Libya are key departure points for migrants seeking to reach European shores, often in poorly-maintained vessels.

The Italian island of Lampedusa is only about 130 kilometres from the Tunisian coast.

Last month, Libyan authorities arrested 542 would-be migrants preparing to depart for Europe in inflatable boats, a security source said.

An AFP photographer said most were originally from Bangladesh.

According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly 2,000 migrants drowned or went missing in the Mediterranean in 2021, up from 1,401 the previous year.

It is the world’s most dangerous migration route, but people seeking a better life in Europe are increasingly taking the risk.