The owners of the fishing vessel **Jabrana II**, based in Sidi Ifni, Morocco, have initiated legal proceedings in Lanzarote against two of their employees who allegedly took advantage of a routine work outing to divert to this island. They were rescued on July 29 by Maritime Salvage near the shore of Charco del Palo. The fishermen involved, identified as Abderrazar A. and Ahmed A., who have a long-standing professional relationship with the boat owners spanning ten years, set sail on July 26 from Sidi Ifni, according to the legal documentation accessed by EFE.
To facilitate their journey, one of the owners provided the equivalent of 93 euros, an outboard motor, and 120 liters of gasoline. Notably, a third crew member was left onshore, as indicated in the crew list included in the complaint.
Formal Complaint Filed in Morocco
The owners, Abdelghani El Asfar and Abdeljabbar Laaouina, reported the incident to the Royal Gendarmerie of Sidi Ifni, emphasizing that the sole authorized purpose was to conduct a regular fishing trip and return. Subsequently, they filed a complaint with the Instruction Section of the Court of First Instance in Arrecife through their attorney, Mouna Sikabi El Asri, from the Bar Association of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
The owners place a value of over 56,000 euros on the vessel and report that between January and July of this year, nearly two tons of fish were sold, generating sales of 13,600 euros. They assert that these figures demonstrate that the vessel was neither abandoned nor inactive but rather a productive asset whose loss results in daily damages and lost profits.
Following the arrival of the fishermen in Lanzarote, the owners identified them, along with the boat, in photographs taken by EFE during the rescue, which were published on **Facebook**. The owners are currently unaware of the boat's location or the conditions under which it is being held, expressing concerns that due to its size and the possible involvement of police, port, maritime, or emergency services, there is a genuine risk of transfer, abandonment, deterioration, or destruction.
They are seeking the identification, immobilization, and preservation of the vessel, motor, fishing gear, and other assets. If recovery proves impossible, they are requesting compensation from the fishermen for the value of the boat, amounting to 56,000 euros, in addition to a claim for lost profits of 55 euros per day.
The complaint indicates that, according to the principle of ubiquity upheld by the Second Chamber of the Supreme Court, the crime can be considered to have occurred in any location where the acts took place. The arrival in Lanzarote, potential apprehension of the defendants, and the location of the main object justify the filing in Arrecife, as explained in the legal document.
The Moroccan owners' defense is calling for international judicial assistance under the bilateral treaty to incorporate the complete Moroccan file and to have the owners and witnesses testify, either via videoconference from Spain or in person.
Should it be deemed that the primary criminal prosecution rests with Morocco, they request that all legally possible conservation and restitution measures be maintained, and that bilateral judicial cooperation be activated. Among the requested actions in Arrecife is the investigation into the current residence and whereabouts of the defendants, as well as inquiries to the Red Cross regarding any assistance provided to these individuals and information on resources or entities they may have been referred to subsequently, including any legally available contact information for them to provide testimony regarding the alleged misappropriation.
As reported by lavozdelanzarote.com.
