Geneva, April 17 (IANS) A shipwreck off the coast of southeast Tunisia killed at least 41 people, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a joint statement.

The UN agencies said in the statement issued on Friday that three survivors have been rescued and the search effort was still underway, reports Xinhua news agency.

Based on initial information, the UN agencies said that all those who died were from Sub-Saharan Africa.

"This tragic loss of life underscores once again the need to enhance and expand state-led search and rescue operations across the Central Mediterranean, where some 290 people have lost their lives so far this year," said the statement.

--IANS ksk/