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Rabat – The body of Abdellatif Akhrif, a football player from Ittihad Tanger club who went missing earlier this year, has been identified through DNA analysis.
According to informed sources, the results confirmed a high probability that the body found on an Oran beach in Algeria last August 8 is that of the late player.
Moroccan authorities are now waiting for Algerian officials to issue a death certificate and grant the necessary authorization for the body’s repatriation to Morocco, where Akhrif’s family and loved ones are seeking closure.
After the body of the deceased was discovered on Algerian shores, Moroccan authorities worked closely with Algerian counterparts to establish the identity of the body.
On August 14, DNA samples from Akhrif’s parents were sent to Algeria for analysis. More than three months later, on November 28, Algerian authorities shared the results with Morocco, confirming the likely match.
On December 2, the Moroccan Consulate in Oran formally requested Algerian authorities to issue a death certificate and authorization to repatriate Akhrif’s body for burial in Morocco. The repatriation is still pending, as the required documents have not yet been finalized.
In July this year, Abdellatif Akhrif and one of his teammates went missing following a drowning incident off the coast of Al-M’diq in northern Morocco. The two players reportedly drifted away from their yacht while swimming with two other club members, who were later rescued.
Weeks later, reports emerged of a body discovered in Algerian waters. A video circulating online showed a severely deteriorated body, reportedly belonging to Abdellatif Akhrif, as it was wearing the same shorts he was last seen in before the incident.
