TUNIS - (Xinhua) - Units of the Tunisian Naval Guard today (Monday) recovered 8 bodies off the coast of the southeastern city of Zarzis, believed to be those of illegal immigrants whose boat sank at sea while trying to sneak into the Italian coast.

The official Tunisian News Agency said that a number of Tunisian fishermen found these bodies during the search for 18 missing persons who had sailed in an illegal immigration operation from the coasts of the city of Zarzis towards the Italian coasts during the night between 21 and 22 last September.

The agency quoted the head of the Al-Bahar Development Association, Shams El-Din Bourassin, as saying that the bodies that were found, "the features of their owners could not be identified because of their erosion."

The search operations began on September 25, with the participation of army and guard units, after the families of those missing announced that they had lost contact with them, according to the agency.

Over the past few months, illegal immigration operations have escalated from the Tunisian coast , which extends over 1,300 kilometers, towards the Italian coast, with the participation of Tunisians and other African nationalities.

Hardly a day passes without the Tunisian authorities announcing the thwarting of such attempts and saving many dreamers of emigration from death by drowning at sea while trying to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa.

The island of Lampedusa, which dreamers of immigration usually choose as the first stop on their cruise, is the closest point to the Tunisian shores, only about 80 kilometers away.