Tunis, Apr 8 (IANS): Tunisian Coast Guards have thwarted 501 illegal immigration attempts in the first quarter of this year, the country's National Guard said.

A total of 14,406 people, including 13,138 from sub-Saharan African countries, were rescued between January and March while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea towards the Italian coast, spokesman for the National Guard Houcemeddine Jbabli said in a statement.

To combat illegal immigration, the Coast Guards have arrested 63 people for being involved in organising illegal immigration trips and seized 135 boats, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

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

The number of undocumented immigrants attempting to reach Italy via Tunisia has been on the rise, despite the strict measures taken by the Tunisian authorities to tackle illegal immigration.