Tunisian authorities foiled five illegal immigration attempts to cross the Mediterranean to the southern Italian coast, the Tunisian Ministry of the Interior said on Sunday.

According to the ministry, these attempts were foiled by the coast guard units in the capital Tunis and the coastal provinces of Mahdia, Sousse, Monastir, as well as Nabeul.

"More than 60 individuals, aged between 16 and 28, have been arrested while they tried to cross the Mediterranean to Italy aboard motorboats," read the report.

Large sums of money in Tunisian dinar and foreign currencies have been seized during this operation.

Thousands of illegal immigrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean every year as Tunisia is one of the main points of access to Europe through irregular channels.