Successful Rescue Operation for Two French Nationals Lost at Sea

In a remarkable turn of events, two French nationals, reported missing at sea since Sunday, were successfully located and rescued on Thursday, May 28th, off the coast of Morocco. According to the National Center for Maritime Coordination and Rescue, the individuals were retrieved by a commercial vessel that spotted them during the search operations conducted in the area.

The ship was able to identify the missing men thanks to a message broadcast to all vessels entering the search zone, ensuring that the right individuals were confirmed. Following their rescue, the two French nationals were scheduled to be transported to Cadiz, located in southern Spain, later that night. Their disappearance had been initially reported when the Center received an alert indicating that the catamaran named "Stella" was in distress.

Extensive Search Efforts and Ongoing Investigations

The catamaran, which remained afloat, along with a lifeboat, was found abandoned approximately three nautical miles, or around five kilometers, from the coast of Tangier. This prompted extensive search operations involving two aircraft, several helicopters, and three maritime units from the Moroccan side, alongside divers and rescuers combing the coastline for any signs of the missing individuals.

Additionally, a French Navy aircraft was deployed on Monday but departed the search area later that evening, as reported by Moroccan maritime rescue authorities. Satellite searches were also conducted, and by Wednesday, the search efforts expanded into Spanish waters. Currently, the specific circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, with officials noting that the boaters did not have a distress beacon. The father of one of the missing men indicated that a message had been sent reporting water ingress, followed by another stating that the crew would evacuate the vessel using the lifeboat. The catamaran was reportedly on a journey from Martinique in the French Caribbean to a European port, possibly Barcelona or Marseille.

As reported by rtl.fr.