Tunisia’s coast guard rescued 42 illegal migrants headed for Italy on Tuesday after their boat’s engine gave out.

Tunisia's coast guard rescued 42 illegal migrants headed for Italy on Tuesday after their boat's engine gave out, the TAP news agency reported.

The overnight rescue took place near the port of Gabes, the agency said.

Thousands of migrants have fled Tunisia since president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was ousted in a popular revolt in January, with more than 22,000 landing on the small Italian island of Lampedusa.

The Italian government has asked Tunis to stop the exodus and take back those migrants who have already arrived in Italy.

On a visit to Tunis Monday, Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi announced the creation of a bi-national commission with Tunisia in a bid to halt the immigration wave from the north African state.

Italy's Interior Minister Roberto Maroni remained in Tunis on Tuesday and was working out the final details of a bi-national accord on the immigration issue.