María José’s family – her son, her daughter-in-law and her three grandchildren – were visiting the medina of Marrakech, the main tourist city in Morocco, when, this Friday night, they were surprised by the violence of the earthquake. “They felt all that disturbance, some were in shock, “They hit my son with a rock on the head and my granddaughter got a wound on her foot.”the woman told TSF.

In a press conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, confirmed the existence of the two injured, clarifying that it was a man and his daughter, a minor. The official guaranteed that the two national citizens are “out of danger” and are being “treated”, and the family is in contact with the Portuguese embassy in Rabat.

In turn, María José reported that the other three relatives who were not injured “are in a situation of needing help, of being close to someone Portuguese who can help them resolve a series of situations.” “My daughter-in-law and the other two children, one six years old and the other 12, they are in shock and they are not being able to resolve things,” lamented María José, adding that she has already contacted the Portuguese authorities.

Still, due to the destruction in Marrakech, the three remaining family members “have no accommodation, because the hotel was in the medina and they don’t even have food.”

Gomes Cravinho says that there are 300 Portuguese identified and 75 want to leave Marrakech

In addition to this family, João Gomes Cravinho stated that there are 300 Portuguese citizens identified in Marrakech, although the minister said that “they could be more” and that the number could “fluctuate”: 75 national citizens, the minister detailed, reported that they want to return to Portugal.

“300 is the number of national citizens who are identified and with whom there has been contact. We call on all inhabitants of the region to contact the emergency consular office, so that we can monitor the situation individually,” said João Gomes Cravinho.

Regarding the 75 national citizens, João Gomes Cravinho stated that the Portuguese authorities organized an Air Force flight precisely for this purpose and that it will “depart soon”, in “principle” this Saturday “in the afternoon” – and that it should return by the night to Portugal.

Furthermore, João Gomes Cravinho indicated that he was “in close contact” with José Luís Carneiro, Minister of Interior Administration, to discuss the issue of assistance to the Moroccan authorities. The minister assured that “everything is ready” for the aid plane to leave for Morocco to support the country, particularly the population.

Regarding María José’s family, the woman told TSF that her son cannot board the flight back to Portugal, because he has a medical recommendation that he cannot travel by plane. “at least for the next 48 hours.” “He doesn’t even know if or when he will be discharged,” he concluded.