Tunis, May 1 : Tunisia has foiled 12 illegal immigration attempts to cross the Mediterranean Sea to the Italian coast, National Guard Spokesman Houcemeddine Jbabli said.

Tunisia's maritime guard thwarted these illegal immigration attempts late Friday and early Saturday off the country's southern, northern and central-eastern coasts, Jbabli added on Sunday in a statement.

According to the spokesman, the guard rescued 238 illegal immigrants from sinking boats during these operations, Xinhua news agency reported.

Located in the central Mediterranean, Tunisia is one of the most popular transit points for illegal immigration to Europe.

Although Tunisian authorities have adopted rigorous measures to tackle the problem, the number of illegal immigrants from Tunisia to Italy has been on the rise.