Tunisians trying to flee to Europe gather aboard a ship owned by the Tunisian coast guards, after being intercepted by them at sea on Aug 10, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Five migrants died and seven others were missing while 23 were rescued after a boat capsized off Tunisia's Sfax, state news agency (TAP) reported on Monday.

"Coastguard units in Sfax recovered the bodies of 5 migrants and rescued 23 people, while 7 others are missing, after boat carrying mostly Tunisians but also sub-Saharan Africans sank off Sfax's Sidi Mansour," it said.