Moroccan navy rescues 54 migrants in southern waters

Morocco’s navy rescued 54 Sub-Saharan migrants, including 7 women and a child, in the waters of the southern provinces, near Tan Tan.

The migrants, who were heading to the Canary Islands, have received medical care before they were handed to the Royal Gendarmerie.

Increasing numbers of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa are trying the riskier Atlantic route to the Canary Islands as Morocco tightens patrol in its northern coastline.

Most arrivals to the Canary Islands originated from West African coasts of Mauritania.

A total of 26,758 irregular migrants have arrived in the Canary Islands in boats so far this year, marking a huge 85.1% increase compared to the same period in 2023, when 14,454 arrivals were recorded, according to the latest data from Spain’s Ministry of the Interior.

So far this year, Morocco foiled 45,000 migration attempts and last year it aborted 75,000 attempts.