In a dramatic turn of events off Morocco’s southern coast, the Royal Moroccan Navy intercepted a group of migrants attempting to seize control of a cargo ship, hoping to divert it toward the Canary Islands. The vessel, registered in Liberia, was 68 miles west of Tan-Tan when the tense situation unfolded, further highlighting the growing desperation among thousands of African migrants seeking a route into Europe.
The incident began on Monday, November 4, when the ship’s captain sent an urgent distress signal to Morocco’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Rabat. According to the statement released by the General Staff of Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces, a group of migrants aboard the ship began making demands, insisting the vessel change course for the Canary Islands—a journey of just 120 nautical miles across the Atlantic.
