At about 07:10hrs on 11 May 2019, the Royal Gibraltar Police received a telephone call from a Moroccan national who stated that he was adrift in a small inflatable boat together with three other Moroccan nationals. Their exact position was unknown.

The Royal Gibraltar Police Marine Section immediately deployed and coordinated a Search and Rescue operation with the assistance of Windmill Hill Signal Station, the Gibraltar Defence Police (GDP), HM Customs, Guardia Civil and Salvamento Maritimo.

Following a lengthy and systematic search, at about 11:00hrs, the vessel was located by RGP officers approximately 18 nautical miles from the Gibraltar coastline.

The Royal Gibraltar Police immediately made their way to the location and observed that the vessel had no means of propulsion. The four persons were then brought aboard the Royal Gibraltar Police Launch and were provided with blankets. All individuals were showing signs and symptoms of being adrift on the water for a considerable time and one was displaying signs of hypothermia. Subsequently, they were transferred to the Spanish Salvamento Maritimo vessel for further immediate medical assistance.