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Search operations are continuing off the Moroccan coast after the disappearance of two French sailors aboard the catamaran Stella, a Lagoon 42 sailed from Martinique to Europe. The boat was found empty about three miles off the coast of Tangier.
Waterway reported overnight
According to information provided by the Moroccan authorities, the alert was given on the night of Sunday May 24 to Monday May 25, 2026. A first message, sent at around 1:15 GMT, indicated that the catamaran was taking on water. A second message, sent around forty-five minutes later, indicated that the crew was evacuating the boat with the tender.
The Stella was then located adrift, still floating, accompanied by an empty life raft. The catamaran was towed to the port of Asilah, south of Tangier. The search is now focusing on the missing dinghy and its two occupants.
Air and sea deployment off Tangier
Moroccan rescue services have deployed extensive search resources in the Strait of Gibraltar and along the northern Moroccan coastline.
Two airplanes, two helicopters and three marine units were mobilized, supported by land teams to monitor beaches and rocky coastal areas.
A French navy aircraft also joined the operation on Monday May 25, 2026. The area remains particularly sensitive for search operations. Between the currents of the Strait, the dense maritime traffic and the effects of the prevailing wind, drifts can become rapid, particularly for a small dinghy.
According to the Moroccan National Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre, the crew had no distress beacon.
Abandonment usually occurs when the situation on board becomes uncontrollable. But leaving a ship is always a difficult decision. The exact conditions that led the two sailors to reach the dinghy remain unknown at this stage.
All vessels in the area have been asked to keep a close watch.
