Tunisian Maritime Guard on Thursday night arrested 58 people who tried to cross the Mediterranean illegally towards the Italian coast in two separate attempts, Tunisian National Guard said on Friday.

The first group of illegal immigrants, composed of 30 people including one child, was arrested off the northeast coast of Nabeul province where their boat was sinking.

A total of 28 other Tunisians were arrested from Thursday night to Friday following sinking of their boat. The rescue took place about 80 nautical miles from the island of Djerba in southeastern Tunisia.