Morocco intercepts attempt by 41 illegal migrants to cross into Europe

By Khalid Mejdoub and Betul Yilmaz

RABAT, Morocco (AA) – Morocco thwarted an illegal attempt on Tuesday by 41 Sub-Saharan African migrants to cross into Europe.

A military statement said a Royal Navy patrol intercepted an inflatable boat carrying 41 illegal migrants, 118 km north-west of the port of Tan Tan in southwestern Morocco.

According to the statement, the migrants were seized while trying to reach Spain’s Canary Islands.

Last month, the Moroccan Interior Ministry said that it had aborted 78,000 illegal migration attempts into Europe in 2024.

The ministry added that 332 human trafficking networks had also been dismantled by authorities last year.

For years, North African countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Mauritania have witnessed attempts by migrants – mainly from sub-Saharan Africa – to reach Europe, hoping for a better life. While some of the migrants manage to reach their destination, others often die during the journey.