Morocco Factory Boss Held in Deadly Flood Probe

Emergency services gather at the site of illegal underground textile workshop that flooded after heavy rain fall in Morocco's city of Tangiers on February 8, 2021. AFP/Getty Images
Emergency services gather at the site of illegal underground textile workshop that flooded after heavy rain fall in Morocco's city of Tangiers on February 8, 2021. AFP/Getty Images
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Morocco Factory Boss Held in Deadly Flood Probe

Emergency services gather at the site of illegal underground textile workshop that flooded after heavy rain fall in Morocco's city of Tangiers on February 8, 2021. AFP/Getty Images
Emergency services gather at the site of illegal underground textile workshop that flooded after heavy rain fall in Morocco's city of Tangiers on February 8, 2021. AFP/Getty Images

Moroccan authorities have detained the owner of an underground textile factory in Tangiers where 28 people died earlier this month, trapped when storm waters flooded in, prosecutors said.

The owner is being held in custody as investigations continue into the February 8 deaths.

"After preliminary questioning, the investigating judge decided to place the owner of this industrial unit in prison, pending the completion of the investigation procedures," a government prosecutor said Wednesday.

While initial reports after the tragedy said the textile factory was illegal, the status of the flooded garment workshop "remains to be verified," a police source told AFP.

The deaths sparked outrage and reignited debate over working conditions in the informal sector, which plays a key role in the economy.



Hot Air Balloon Rides in AlUla Skies Offer Journey through Nature, Heritage

The experience is organized under the AlUla Moments event calendar. (SPA)
The experience is organized under the AlUla Moments event calendar. (SPA)
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Hot Air Balloon Rides in AlUla Skies Offer Journey through Nature, Heritage

The experience is organized under the AlUla Moments event calendar. (SPA)
The experience is organized under the AlUla Moments event calendar. (SPA)

As part of the Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Skies Festival 2025, the governorate is hosting daily hot air balloon rides that soar above its archaeological and natural landmarks, offering visitors from around the world a breathtaking panoramic experience.

These rides are among the festival’s most popular attractions, giving guests the chance to float peacefully over AlUla’s serene landscapes, with sweeping views of its mountainous terrain, green oases, and iconic heritage sites such as Hegra, the first site in Saudi Arabia on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The experience is organized under the AlUla Moments event calendar, with the festival’s organizers aiming to provide a unique blend of adventure, serenity, and reflection, encapsulating the human connection with the sky and the universe, the central theme of the festival.

The AlUla Skies Festival will run through April 27 and includes a wide array of astronomical, educational, and cultural experiences that underscore AlUla’s growing status as a global destination for astrotourism.