About 23 migrants were missing after setting off in a boat from Tunisia towards Italy, the country's national guard said on Saturday, Paralel.Az reports citing Reuters.

Tunisia is facing a migration crisis and has replaced Libya as a main departure point for people fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa and the Middle East in the hope of a better life in Europe.

The national guard said it had deployed floating units and had informed the navy to help in the search for the missing people.