Migrants Hijack Vessel and Attempt to Divert it to the Canary Islands

Incident Details

It has been reported that an unnamed cargo ship was boarded by migrants who attempted to divert it to the Canary Islands. Royal Moroccan Navy commando units boarded the vessel and freed the crew without incident. 54 migrants were taken back to the Port of Tan-Tan.

Comment. Local officials reported that the hijackers had planned to divert the ship to the Canary Islands in an attempt to gain entry into continental Europe. A similar incident took place in October 2023, when Spanish authorities arrested nine migrants for piracy after they attempted to divert the Offshore Supply Vessel VOS PACE to Lanzarote after being rescued.

Assessment. Although unconfirmed, it is likely the vessel acted under SOLAS regulations and rescued a group of migrants who were attempting to reach the Canary Islands from West Africa. This event highlights the desperate measures human migrants will take to further their aim of entering Europe which includes acts of piracy. The route from West Africa to the Canaries is a known transit route and there has been an increase this year in the number of migrants attempting to cross these dangerous waters. It is therefore, likely that more vessels will encounter human migrants as they transit the area. We advise ship operators and Masters to familiarise themselves with their obligations under SOLAS regulations, prepare their vessel for such an occurrence and be aware of the risk of hijack a rescue situation places them in. To aid vessel protection, ship operators are advised to implement the counter-piracy measures contained within BMP 5.

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