- Two footballers missing
- They were not wearing life jackets at the time
- Three people were rescued
Two footballers from Ittihad Tanger, Abdellatif Akhrif, 24, and Salman El-Harrak, 18, are missing following a yacht incident off the northern coast near M’diq.
The incident occurred during a team outing on Saturday. Three others – club employee Oussama Aflah, and reserve team players Soumaimane Dahdouh and Abdelhamid Maali – were rescued.
According to Aflah, the group encountered strong winds and rough seas while swimming near the shore, causing them to drift away from the boat. Although life jackets were on board, they were not worn while swimming.
“We started the day normally – breakfast, and then we rented a boat from the marina,” said Aflah.
“On our way out to sea, the coastguard even checked our documents and ensured we had life jackets. Initially, everything was fine, and we were swimming near the shore, just a few meters from the boat. Suddenly, the sea conditions changed dramatically, and strong winds separated us from the boat.”
Search efforts continue, and club president Mohamed Cherkaoui has requested responsible media reporting during this difficult time. Ittihad Tanger, a mainstay in Morocco’s top league since 2015 and champions in 2017-18, are deeply affected by this tragic incident.
