French Tourists Stranded in Morocco as Ferry Service Suspended, Facing Job Risks

"All the barriers were closed. We don’t know how we’re going to do it. I work. My son is in 1st grade, it’s important. We’re in total limbo," despairs a mother, whose family went on vacation to Morocco to return to France on October 29. This return will not be possible as no boat has arrived at the port of Nador. She had to go back to her mother-in-law’s.

The only feasible solution is to take a flight. A luxury she cannot afford. "There are people who are leaving by plane. It costs 200 € per person! It’s very expensive! And I have my car here! And we have no explanation other than that we would be suspended from confinement. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I risk losing my job...", she confides to Midi Libre.

Sandrine, her husband and their two children, on the other hand, had to take out a loan to buy plane tickets for 900 €. They are returning this Wednesday. "We were lent the money. We will pay it back little by little. We are too afraid of getting stuck. They sold us tickets, they let us come to the port and they didn’t warn us about anything. We are completely lost!", explains the mother.

A resident of Carpentras preferred to take a complicated route to reach France. His fear is to remain stuck in Morocco and lose his job. "I caused a scandal in Nador! They were unable to tell us whether the boat was going to leave. We demonstrated. Then I drove 700 km to take the ferry in Tangier. I left my wife and daughter in Morocco. They will return by plane and I had to return by car because I work. I arrived in Italy a few hours ago," he says.

He finally returned to France after spending the night in Italy on Monday. "All this cost me more than 1000 €! With a PCR test for nothing because Italy doesn’t require one. 50 € more down the drain," he laments.

For now, many travelers remain stranded in the kingdom. They hope to return on November 7. "The GNV company is talking about a potential departure on November 7," says a lady. Except that at the port of Sète, "no date is communicated".