Morocco: Maritime patrols thwart irregular migration attempts off Tantan, Dakhla
A series of coordinated coastal sweep operations and maritime patrols on Friday enabled the interception of 269 would-be migrants who were attempting to reach the Canary Islands, the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) said in a statement.
The operations, carried out approximately ten kilometers southwest of Tantan, involved FAR units responsible for coastal surveillance, in conjunction with sweep modules, and successfully thwarted three separate attempts of irregular migration.
Among those intercepted were 147 candidates, consisting of 103 Sub-Saharan Africans and 44 Moroccans, highlighting the diverse origins of those seeking migration.
Simultaneously, the Royal Navy’s Combat Units intercepted two boats, one at 37 kilometers west of Tantan and the other 122 kilometers southwest of Dakhla, during maritime patrol operations. These boats were carrying 122 would-be migrants, comprising 84 Sub-Saharan Africans and 38 Moroccans.
All intercepted individuals received necessary care before being transferred to the Royal Gendarmerie for administrative procedures.
Also on Friday, three individuals lost their lives during an ill-fated irregular migration attempt from the region of Naila, within the jurisdiction of Akhfennir municipality.
Prompt action was taken by local authorities, the Royal Gendarmerie, and Civil Protection services upon receiving distressing reports of a capsized rubber boat and the escape of the traffickers of irregular migrants in a rocky and hard-to-reach area.
Despite rescue efforts, which led to the successful retrieval of forty-five aspiring migrants, the grim discovery of three bodies underscores the dangers inherent in such perilous journeys. Search and rescue operations persist in the hope of locating any other potential survivors.
On Thursday, a Royal Navy Coast Guard intercepted, at approximately 33 km southwest of the city of Tarfaya, a boat carrying 52 Sub-Saharan individuals, including 5 women, who were planning to reach the Canary Islands.
Hundreds of illegal immigrants heading to European destinations accessible from Moroccan coasts are routinely intercepted by Morocco’s coastguard and army troops.
