Moroccan Drama Up in the Air

While the media was reporting the positive story about Morocco (a rarity among all of the negative press) of the Kingdom's victory over Spain, international media were reporting an

Aother story about everyday Moroccans—the kind where a soccer victory isn't going to change their lives.

A flight from Casablanca to Istanbul (Turkey: a non-visa destination for Moroccans) landed early due to an emergency landing at Barcelona's El Prat airport. A pregnant woman onboard the flight claimed that her "water broke," so the flight attendant tried to help her, prompting an emergency landing.

Upon landing, 28 people rushed off the plane, running for their lives to taste the freedom of the Spanish air (which is way better landing in an airport compared to the countless others who cross illegally and end up in a forest with Spanish police chasing after them with dogs). Fourteen were detained, and another 14 have not yet been found. This incident brings back memories of October 2021 when a similar flight had to make an emergency landing in Mallorca, where a group of Moroccans fled the plane after staging a fake diabetic coma. What's next after this?

These people are so creative that I wouldn't be surprised if someone made a movie out of this story. While we keep our eyes peeled for the next flight that makes an emergency landing in Spain, the Moroccan Drama continues…

By Simo Ben