Increasing Anxiety Over Missing Youths in Morocco
The alarm is rising across Morocco as reports of young people disappearing during perilous attempts to migrate illegally by sea to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta become more frequent. Families of the missing are urgently appealing to authorities for intensified search efforts to locate their loved ones, who have gone missing in recent days while attempting to swim to the city of Ceuta. This alarming trend has sparked a wave of concern regarding the rising number of individuals unaccounted for on this treacherous maritime route.
Many young Africans, including those from Morocco, seek to migrate irregularly in hopes of a better life in Europe due to economic hardships and armed conflicts in their home countries. Among the cases that have drawn significant attention are the stories of two cousins, Souleiman and Ahmed, who hail from the Beni Hassan area in the Tetouan region. Their families have not heard from them since they embarked on a nighttime journey from the town of Fnideq on July 17, attempting to cross the waters towards Ceuta. According to family members, Souleiman, 21, was dressed in a wetsuit, while 33-year-old Ahmed was in regular clothing.
Additionally, the family of 18-year-old Adel Al-Jalouti from El Jadida has also reported him missing since July 19, when he is believed to have attempted the same journey. Descriptions of Adel have been shared publicly in hopes of garnering assistance in locating him; he was last seen wearing a black and white wetsuit and blue swimming fins, along with a Moroccan national team jersey and a tattoo on his left arm. Furthermore, Hicham Mansouri, 22, from Agadir, has also been reported missing after his family lost contact with him about a week ago. His last known communication was from Agadir before he intended to head north in pursuit of reaching Ceuta via swimming.
Families Urge Increased Search Efforts
In light of these disturbing disappearances, families have taken to media outlets and social platforms, pleading for expanded search and investigation operations, expressing a deep hope for any information regarding the whereabouts of their missing sons. The situation has escalated over recent weeks, with reports of similar disappearance cases on the rise.
Meanwhile, the Spanish Civil Guard has urged the relatives of the missing individuals to formally report the disappearances to both Moroccan and Spanish authorities. They emphasized that documenting these cases, accompanied by photographs and personal details, is crucial for integrating them into missing persons databases, thus facilitating the identification of individuals in the event that they are found, whether alive or deceased.
The frequency of such incidents underscores the ongoing peril faced by irregular migrants attempting to cross into Ceuta by swimming, a journey that has tragically resulted in numerous fatalities and disappearances in recent weeks. This reality starkly illustrates the persistent dangers confronting those who undertake this hazardous route despite repeated warnings from authorities in both Morocco and Spain.
As reported by alaraby.com.
