Two royal navy units comprised of coast guards provided assistance to 59 would-be illegal immigrants, in waters 172 km northwest and 266 km southwest of Dakhla in the early hours of Monday, as stated in a press release from the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces.
The Sub-Saharan individuals, aboard two different makeshift boats, were headed toward the Canary Islands on a quest for a better future.
The patrol provided essential assistance to those in need, assuring the safety and well-being of everybody onboard. They were subsequently handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for routine procedures.
In light of increased surveillance and oversight of waterways, the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and law enforcement services together intercepted approximately 87,000 people attempting to illegally migrate in 2023, mostly from Sub-Saharan Africa. Over 22,000 potential illegal immigrants received critical care and aid.
Individuals have frequently been found in dire circumstances in these makeshift boats–often carrying mothers with children of varying age groups–which comprised the majority of those attempting the perilous journey.
Hundreds of these would-be migrants are routinely intercepted by coast guards and military forces as they attempt to reach European nations adjacent to the Kingdom’s coastal waters.