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Tantan – Search operations are continuing and have been widened to include Spanish waters after two French nationals went missing at sea off the coast of Morocco near Tangier, AFP reported today.
The two men were on board the catamaran Stella, which was discovered on Sunday adrift and empty about five kilometers from the coast. The boat was still floating, with a life raft found nearby, but neither the crew nor their dinghy was present.
Moroccan maritime authorities said the search has remained intense since they received the alert early Sunday morning, according to Le Parisien. At the time, the Moroccan maritime rescue center was informed that the vessel had run into difficulties. Since then, multiple assets have been deployed, including aircraft, helicopters, and several maritime rescue units.
Divers and coastal search teams have also been scanning nearby shores for signs of the missing men or the dinghy, which is still unaccounted for.
Satellite resources have also been used to support the operation. A French Navy aircraft was briefly involved but left the search zone later the same day.
The center said the search area was extended toward Spanish waters due to maritime conditions and the possibility that currents could have carried debris or survivors beyond Moroccan territory.
It also confirmed that the catamaran was not equipped with a distress beacon, which may have delayed or complicated rescue coordination.
Family members of one of the missing men, Vincent, 25, said messages were sent from the vessel reporting a leak. A later message reportedly indicated that the crew was abandoning the catamaran and moving to a dinghy.
The catamaran was said to be traveling from Martinique toward a European port when the incident occurred. The exact cause of the disappearance remains unclear, and no sign of the two men has yet been found.
Search operations are still ongoing.
