The Royal Moroccan Navy and coastal surveillance units rescued, on November 23, 115 kilometers southwest of Laayoune, approximately 15 kilometers off the coast, an inflatable boat carrying 76 sub-Saharan migrants, including 15 women and three minors.
According to military sources, the rescued people, who were headed for the Canary Islands, received the necessary first aid on board before being safely transported to the port of Laayoune, where they were turned over to the Royal Gendarmerie for the standard administrative procedures.
The Royal Moroccan Navy and coastal surveillance units had previously rescued, on October 25, approximately 290 kilometers south of Dakhla, a pirogue carrying on board 274 potential illegal migrants.
The pirogue carried on board 200 Senegalese, 66 Gambians, three from Guinea-Conakry, two Malians, and one Sierra-Leonean, in addition to two deceased.
According to military sources, the potential illegal migrants had been off the coast of Senegal for six days and were heading towards the Canary Islands.
The same source added that the rescued people received the necessary first aid on board before they were turned over to the Royal Gendarmerie for the standard administrative procedures, while the three deceased were handed over to the Civil Protection to be transferred to the morgue of Hassan II Hospital in Dakhla.