Eight illegal migrants drowned in the Mediterranean waters (North of Morocco) while trying to cross to the nearest European coastal waters on Tuesday evening, as per local authorities of Nador province.
The would-be migrants boarded an inflatable boat at the Beni Chiker commune (four kilometers from Melilla) but, due to the rough sea and gusts of wind, the boat capsized, killing eight of its passengers.
The royal navy, the civil defense and the royal gendarmerie intervened once alerted and rescued nine people. The dead bodies were fished out of the sea and the search is still on for the missing persons.
An investigation was opened into the specificities of this incident.