A Royal Navy combat unit on a maritime patrol mission provided on Monday, 280 km south-west of the town of Dakhla and 165 km from the coast, assistance to a pirogue in distress with 81 would-be illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa on board, who were planning to reach the Canary Islands.
The migrants rescued, in very unfavorable weather conditions, received first aid on board before being brought safely back to the Port of Dakhla and handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for the usual administrative procedures, according to a statement from the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces.
