Official sources reported that the Royal Moroccan Navy managed on Tuesday to intercept a boat carrying 38 migrants from sub-Saharan African countries who were attempting to reach the Canary Islands illegally.
A statement issued by the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces explained that a naval patrol of the Royal Navy spotted the boat off the coast of Dakhla city in southern Morocco. The statement indicated that the migrants had set off from the Mauritanian coast in an attempt to reach Spanish territory.
The same source mentioned that among those rescued were a woman and a minor, adding that necessary medical care was provided to them on board the ship before they were safely returned to the port of Dakhla.
The statement confirmed that the migrants were handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie to complete the usual administrative procedures in such cases.
This operation comes as part of the ongoing efforts by Moroccan authorities to combat illegal immigration and protect its maritime borders, especially in light of the increasing attempts of illegal crossings to Europe via the Atlantic Ocean.