Moroccan Fisherman Survives 8-Day Swim to Canary Islands with Truck Tire

On January 7, 2024, Ayoub was rescued alone, exhausted, 16 kilometers southeast of Fuerteventura. His story, as incredible as it may seem, is confirmed by the videos found on his mobile phone.

Ayoub, a fisherman in Dakhla, had seen his economic situation deteriorate. The hope of a better life pushed him to try his luck in Europe.

After a first failed attempt from Tangier, he decides, with his friend Mohcine, to reach the Canaries. They study the weather forecasts, prepare their equipment and set out on the adventure at the end of December, according to El Debate.

The journey quickly turns into a nightmare. After 46 kilometers, the tide pushes them back 10 kilometers. Exhausted, they face hunger, thirst, the burning sun and the freezing cold of the night. Fear sets in, amplified, he says, by the presence of threatening marine animals.

"The last two days, we had no more food or water," says Ayoub. Mohcine, weakened, begins to delirium. Ayoub tries to keep him alive, but in vain. "He died in my arms and I had to let him go," he confides painfully.

Alone and desperate, he continues to advance. As he is about to give up, he is spotted by the Salvamar Ízar, a rescue boat on its way to rescue a boat.

"I no longer had the strength to continue, even though I could see Fuerteventura in the distance," admits Ayoub, relieved to finally be rescued.

After a stay in a reception center in Fuerteventura, then in Murcia, Ayoub finds himself alone facing a life of uncertainty. He goes from odd job to odd job in Spain, then in Italy, always confronted with the difficulties of illegal immigration.

"When you’re an irregular immigrant, life is much more complicated," he notes.

Marked by the tragic death of his friend, Ayoub aspires to "lead a normal life, to have a decent home and a job."

When asked if he would make the trip again, the answer is clear: "Never."

https://youtu.be/2TwCkrueJcI