Drama at Toubkal: Moroccan soldiers find the bodies of the three missing persons

The bodies of the three victims were located and recovered by the men of the 1st Battalion of the Atlas Hunters. These soldiers, specialized in high-altitude and ice rescue, intervened as early as Sunday, January 18, 2026, the date on which a major snow slide swept away the path leading to the summit. The operation was carried out in very deteriorated weather conditions, in coordination with the Royal Gendarmerie, Civil Protection, and the authorities of the province of Al Haouz.

The tragedy occurred last Sunday as a group of hikers were leaving a high-altitude refuge to return to the center of Imlil. While the majority of the walkers were able to take shelter, two Moroccan tourists and a local guide were buried by the snow at the level of a mountain pass. The military units had to clear several obstructed accesses before being able to use their detection systems to probe the terrain and extract the remains of the missing persons.