The Moroccan navy has intercepted 190 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa aboard makeshift boats between the coasts of Tan Tan in southern Morocco and Dakhla in Western Sahara, according to a military source.
Units of the Royal Navy and coastal surveillance teams intercepted makeshift boats carrying a total of 190 individuals seeking irregular migration opportunities. Among them are 11 women, all of whom are of sub-Saharan origin, as reported by the military source to the MAP agency.
The intercepted migrants have been safely transported to the nearest national ports following the necessary care procedures. Subsequently, they will be handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for regular administrative processing, the source added.
With this operation, the count of potential irregular migrants from sub-Saharan Africa brought to Moroccan shores has now reached at least 518 since August 8. These figures are based on a report citing Moroccan military sources.
In recent weeks, there has been a notable surge in activity along the Canary Islands migration route, a prominent gateway to Europe in the Atlantic Ocean. This increase is particularly noticeable along the coasts of Morocco and the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
Moroccan authorities have claimed to successfully thwarted approximately 26,000 attempts at irregular emigration within the first five months of 2023.
NGOs consistently report tragic shipwrecks occurring in Moroccan, Spanish, and international waters. Unofficial estimates suggest that the numbers of casualties from these incidents could range from dozens to potentially hundreds of deaths.
