Moroccan navy foils illegal migration attempt off Atlantic coast

Morocco’s Royal Navy aborted an illegal migration attempt off the Atlantic coast of Tarfya in the southern provinces, authorities said.

The operation led to the arrest of 40 would-be migrants, mostly from Sub-Saharan Africa, including 12 women.

The sea washed up the bodies of seven Sub-Saharans, including five women, authorities said through official media.

The intercepted migrants will undergo a coronavirus test while an investigation have been opened into this case.

The migration attempt from southern Morocco is reflective of a trend that has been on the rise in recent years after a crackdown on illegal migration networks in Northern Morocco.

Last year, Morocco foiled some 27,000 illegal migration attempts.