Morocco: Jet-Ski Tourists Mistakenly Cross Algerian Maritime Border, Two Killed in Tragic Shooting Incident
Two jet-ski tourists on vacation in Morocco were tragically shot dead by the Algerian coastguard after unintentionally crossing their maritime border. Bilal Kissi and Abdelali Merchouer, both dual nationals of France and Morocco, came under fire when they took a wrong turn off the beach resort of Saidia on Morocco’s northeast tip. The incident occurred after a witness reported that they found themselves in Algeria, according to local news website Le360.
A third member of the group, Smail Snabe, also a French-Moroccan national, was arrested by the Algerian coastguard and appeared before a prosecutor. Initially consisting of four men riding jet skis in the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday, Moroccan media reported this development on Thursday.
Mohamed Kissi, brother of one of the deceased victims, described how they got lost but continued until realizing they had entered Algeria. He recounted that an Algerian dinghy approached them and its occupants opened fire: “Thank God I wasn’t hit but they killed my brother and my friend.” Another friend was injured and subsequently arrested.
The tragic incident has prompted calls from Abdelkarim Kissi, cousin of Bilal Kissi and an actor himself. He urged Moroccan authorities to bring the case before international courts as he mourned his cousin’s death: “His only fault was crossing the Algerian territorial waters; he was on vacation with his friends.”
This unfortunate event occurs amid heightened tensions between Algeria and Morocco stemming from their ongoing dispute over Western Sahara territory. The border between these neighboring North African countries has been closed since 1994 while diplomatic ties were severed by Algiers in 2021 due to allegations of “hostile acts” by Rabat—an accusation vehemently denied by Morocco.
When questioned about this reported shooting incident involving the jet skiers on Thursday, Moroccan government spokesman Mustapha Baitas declined to comment, stating that it is a matter for the judiciary. There has been no immediate response from the Algerian side regarding the incident.
