Moroccan jet skiers shot dead in Algerian waters

Two Moroccan tourists are believed to have been shot dead and another was arrested by Algerian authorities this week when they accidentally jet-skied into the country’s waters.

Survivor Mohamed Kissi said he and four others lost their way while exploring the water off the Moroccan resort town of Saidia on Tuesday night

“We were low on fuel for the water scooters and were drifting. In the darkness, we found ourselves in Algerian waters,” Kissi told local news site le360, according to SkyNews.

“We knew we were in Algeria because a black Algerian dinghy came towards us [and] fired at us,” he recalled, the BBC reported.

Kissi said his 29-year-old brother, Bilal, and another man, 40-year old Abdelali Mechouar, were killed in the terrifying encounter.

“They arrested my other friend [Smail Snabe]. Five bullets hit my brother and my friend. My other friend was hit by a bullet,” he alleged.

Kissi denied that the five men were trying to escape when they entered Algerian territory, and insisted that the authorities fired on them even after seeing they were unarmed and briefly speaking with his brother, the BBC said.

After the shooting, he was forced to swim back toward Morocco before eventually being picked up by the navy, Kissi claimed.

As of Friday, there are no reports on the status of the other survivor who was not arrested.

Snabe is believed to have appeared before an Algerian prosecutor on Wednesday, though no details were confirmed, the BBC reported.

The alleged incident sparked outrage in Morocco after a fisherman posted a video of Bilal’s body in the water, the outlet added.

His remains were eventually retrieved and buried in Oujda on Wednesday, Kissi said.

Mechouar’s father, Mustafa, said he believes his son is dead, and wants to retrieve his remains in order to bury him properly.

“I appeal to Moroccan and Algerian authorities to reach an agreement to bring my son back to me to observe a proper funeral and burial for him,” he begged.

The 1,200-mile border between Algeria and Morocco has been closed since 1994, the BBC explained.

Algeria severed diplomatic relations when it accused Rabat of hostile activity in 2021.

Moroccan authorities declined to comment on Kissi’s claims, stating that the case was a judicial concern.

Algeria’s navy and foreign ministry have also not addressed the reports.

Kissi, his brother and Snabe have dual Moroccan and French citizenship, local media said.

France’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that it was aware of the death of a national, and was in touch with both the families and authorities in Morocco.

With Post wires