A boat carrying 37 migrants and asylum seekers has disappeared off the coast of Sfax in Tunisia. The passengers, ranging in age from 13 to 35, are primarily from the small village of El Hencha in the Sfax Governorate. The families of the missing individuals are frustrated by the lack of news and have erected roadblocks and burned tires in protest. Although the Tunisian National Guard and units from Malta and Italy are conducting search efforts, there is mounting concern about the amount of time it is taking to receive concrete information. This lack of information is exacerbating tensions in El Hencha, where residents are worried about the potential for unrest similar to the protests that occurred after a previous vessel sank in 2022. Poverty and lack of employment prospects within Tunisia drive locals to seek new lives in Europe, while other migrants arrive from across Africa, making Tunisia and Libya key departure points for those attempting the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean. The migration route is one of the deadliest in the world, with thousands of known deaths in 2023 alone. Ali Jlaiel, a 25-year-old from El Hencha, was among the missing passengers, described by his brother as someone struggling to find a stable job and a hope for a better future. His story is one among many in a region where opportunities are scarce, driving individuals to risk their lives in search of a better future elsewhere.