Her death has sparked an outpouring of grief across Morocco, particularly within the football community.
RABAT: Moroccan footballer Faten Ben Omar Al Azizi has died after drowning while attempting to reach Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta by sea, according to local media reports.
Al Azizi, who previously played for Moghreb Atletico Tetouan, reportedly lost her life during the dangerous sea crossing.
Her death has sparked an outpouring of grief across Morocco, particularly within the football community in Tangier.
Reports said the footballer was attempting the hazardous journey to Ceuta when the fatal incident occurred. The route has become increasingly popular among migrants seeking to enter Europe despite the significant risks posed by rough seas and overcrowded crossings.
Recent weeks have seen a rise in irregular migration attempts from northern Morocco to Ceuta, with multiple fatalities reported due to dangerous maritime conditions.
Following her death, teammates, friends and members of Morocco’s football community paid tribute to Al Azizi, remembering her as a hardworking, talented and kind individual.
More read, At least 72 died in Spain’s Ceuta migrant rush
Earlier, at least 72 people have died in recent days during the large influx of migrants into Spain’s Ceuta enclave after tens of thousands of people, most of whom swam around the border from Morocco, entered the territory, local officials said.
Most of the nearly 60,000 migrants who crossed into Spain’s North African enclave have now returned to Morocco following the largest mass migrant crossing ever recorded in Ceuta.
“The latest figure we have is 72,” Spain’s government delegate to Ceuta, Miguel Angel Perez Triano, told reporters when asked about the death toll. The previous official death toll was 67.
By Sunday, Spanish police and military personnel were patrolling the streets as Ceuta gradually returned to normal after the sudden influx of migrants between Wednesday and Friday.
