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August 29, 2023, was supposed to be a day like any other for a group of French-Moroccan friends spending their summer vacation in Morocco. Ismail Snabi, 28, along with his friends, Abdelali Mchiouer, Bilal, and Mohammed Kissi, had taken their jet skis from the seaside resort of Saïdia for a meal at Cap-de-l’Eau, a nearby fishing village.
After enjoying their time, they set off to return to Saïdia. However, night fell quickly, and a thick fog rose, disorienting the four friends. Believing they were heading back to their starting point, they inadvertently drifted into Algerian waters. «We were mistaken», Ismail recalled in a recent testimony to the newspaper Le Monde. With no signs to guide them, they were lost in the open sea.
Around 8 p.m., a boat emerged from the fog, heading straight for them. Onboard were Algerian coast guards. Initially relieved, Ismail called out for help in Arabic: «We come from Morocco, we got lost». But the response was harsh: «Get out of here! Morocco is over there!» The friends immediately turned back. Moments later, gunshots rang out. In a panic, Ismail jumped into the water, convinced his life was over. When the soldiers captured him, they tied him up and beat him violently, demanding to know if he had visited Israel or consumed alcohol. Another ordeal began once he was on their boat.
While Ismail was taken to Algeria, Bilal and Abdelali were shot dead. Mohammed managed to escape the tragedy by reaching the Moroccan coast. It was only later that Ismail learned the tragic fate of his companions. In prison, a policeman showed him a photo of Abdelali's lifeless body, while Bilal’s remains were revealed to him weeks later.
Imprisoned in Algeria, Ismail endured humiliation and torture: beatings, senseless interrogations, and threats. The man, who once weighed 120 kilos, lost 30, with his mental health deteriorating. Sentenced to a year in prison and an exorbitant fine of 100,000 euros, he went into debt to buy his freedom. Upon his release in August 2024, the man—married to a French-Algerian woman—received one final veiled threat: «Do not speak. Remember you have family here».
Today, Ismail is trying to rebuild his life with the support of his family and a psychiatrist. Yet, the memories remain vivid. The complaint filed by the victims' families could pave the way for justice, although that horizon still seems distant.
