Moroccan footballer dies after Algerian coast guard shoots at migrant boat

A young Moroccan man, Oussama Hemham, who once played for Amal Al Aaroui Football Club, has died after Algerian coast guards opened fire on a migrant boat on July 27th. The club’s general secretary Mohamed Farcham, who previously coached Hemham, confirmed his death to Hespress, as reported on July 30th.

Farcham stated that Oussama’s death was reported to him by his family. “His relatives told us he died from his injuries after being shot at sea, and he was the only one to get shot on the boat”.

Farcham related the growing trend of irregular migration from his town. “So many young people from Al Aaroui are leaving like this,” he said. “Our club’s Facebook page, which should be full of football news, is now filled with messages announcing that another young man has decided to head to Europe.”

Hemham, the former footballer with local club Amal Al Aaroui, was among a group of young men who left from the beach of Saidia in northeast Morocco, using water scooters to reach a boat known as “Phantom.”

Their goal was to cross the Mediterranean to Almería, Spain, in search of better economic opportunities. However, the journey turned deadly when the boat veered into Algerian waters while trying to avoid Moroccan naval patrols.

The Algerian coast guard allegedly began pursuing the boat. When they didn’t stop, the guards reportedly opened fire. Hemham was hit in the kidney area and suffered severe internal bleeding. Despite efforts by fellow passengers to stop the bleeding and save him, the limited resources on the inflatable boat were not enough.

The group eventually reached the Spanish coast, where emergency services were called. Hemham died shortly after arrival as a result of his injuries. According to local media reports a family member travelled to Spain to identify the body and begin the process of repatriating it to Morocco.

According to other reports, this is not the first time Algeria’s coast guard has opened fire at Moroccan nationals off the coast of Saidia. In August 2023, the Algerian Navy shot four Moroccan citizens, two of whom were killed, when they accidentally crossed the maritime border between Morocco and Algeria on their jet skis near Saidia beach. Hemham’s death could potentially aggravate Algeria-Morocco diplomatic relations, which have been on edge due to the ongoing Western Sahara dispute.

Hespress, Barlaman Today, Maghrebi.org