The victims were part of a group of unidentified irregular migrants who boarded a boat on Tuesday evening, intending to cross the Strait of Gibraltar from the town of Beni Chiker. However, the vessel capsized due to adverse weather conditions, as stated by local authorities in a press release.
Authorities in Morocco confirming the incident on Wednesday said the identities of the migrants are yet to be known but 9 of them were rescued and provided with medical care in a hospital.
“Operations were underway to search for the missing persons,” Moroccan authorities noted.
Morocco serves as a common departure point for many irregular migrants embarking on the hazardous journey across the Mediterranean or the Atlantic Ocean in hopes of finding better opportunities in Europe.
In recent weeks, the Moroccan navy has reported intercepting or rescuing dozens of migrants during various operations along its southwestern coast.
According to the Moroccan army, approximately 87,000 irregular migrants were intercepted in 2023.
Last year, a total of 56,852 undocumented migrants entered Spain, marking an 82.1 percent increase from 2022. This surge was primarily attributed to a record number of arrivals in the Canary Islands, located approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Morocco at the closest point.