Two French nationals missing off Tangier found safe near Asilah

A merchant ship has found the two French nationals who had been missing off the coast of Tangier since Sunday. They were in good health when located off Asilah, according to Agence France-Presse, citing the National Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center.

According to an official at the center, the ship was able to locate them "thanks to the message sent to all vessels entering the search area. After that, it was necessary to confirm their identities." The Moroccan center assisted the ship’s crew in identifying the two French citizens.

The same official added that "they will be disembarked in Cádiz, in southern Spain, most likely during the night."

On Sunday night, at around 1:15 a.m. GMT, the National Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center received "an alert indicating that the sailing boat Stella was in difficulty" offshore.

The sailboat was later found, along with a life raft, about three nautical miles — roughly five kilometers — off the coast of Tangier, but both were empty.

The cause of the incident remains unknown, according to the same source, who noted that the two French nationals "were not equipped with an emergency locator transmitter."