Two French sailors rescued alive off Morocco after maritime incident
Two French nationals who had been missing at sea for several days were found alive Thursday evening off the coast of Assilah in northern Morocco after an extensive multinational search operation. Moroccan rescue authorities said the men were spotted and rescued by a merchant vessel navigating through the search zone.
Authorities coordinated closely with the crew of the commercial ship to confirm the identities of the two survivors before organizing their transfer to Cadiz in southern Spain, where they were expected to disembark overnight. Officials have not yet released details regarding their physical condition following the rescue.
The search operation began on Sunday after the catamaran carrying the two men reported difficulties while sailing off the Moroccan coast. Rescue teams later located the abandoned vessel drifting a few kilometers from Tangier along with an empty life raft, raising fears that the occupants had disappeared at sea.
Moroccan authorities deployed major rescue resources including aircraft, maritime patrol units, coastal rescue teams, and satellite tracking systems. Spanish waters were also included in the search area as coordination expanded between Moroccan and Spanish emergency services to locate the missing sailors.
According to information relayed by relatives, the crew had sent a message reporting water infiltration inside the catamaran before deciding to abandon the vessel and move into a smaller auxiliary craft. The boat had been traveling from Martinique toward Europe at the time of the incident.
The exact circumstances surrounding the maritime emergency remain unclear. Authorities have not yet determined what caused the reported flooding onboard or how the two sailors managed to survive several days at sea before being rescued. Investigations are expected to continue after the men arrive in Spain.
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