On Sunday, a Royal Navy ship on patrol stopped a pirogue southwest of the city of Dakhla, 70 kilometers from the shore, carrying 57 sub-Saharan would-be migrants, including four women in critical condition.
The pirogue was headed to the Canary Islands, according to a news announcement from the Royal Armed Forces’ General Staff.
The rescued victims were provided appropriate medical treatment on board before being transported to the Dakhla port and handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for the routine administrative processes.
The report added that the Moroccan government is working to encourage the voluntary return of migrants residing in Morocco illegally in coordination with the diplomatic bodies of their respective countries accredited in Morocco.