Algeria: Morocco jet ski tourists shot after warnings
BBC By Kathryn Armstrong
BBC News
The Algerian authorities have said a group of tourists who strayed into their waters from Morocco on jet skis were warned before they were shot at.
Two men were killed last week after an altercation with the Algerian coastguard.
In its first comment on the incident, the Algerian defence ministry said on Sunday that the tourists defied an order to stop "several times".
However, a survivor has disputed this - saying they were never cautioned.
"I only heard gunshots directly that killed my brother Bilal," Mohamed Kissim told the Reuters news agency.
The group had set off on jet skis from the Moroccan resort of Saidia on Tuesday when they were shot.
In an earlier interview with French television network BFM, Mr Kissi described how they had got lost as night fell, and realised they had strayed into Algerian territory when they saw coastguard boats approach.
"They charged into us," he said - adding that his brother, Bilal, signalled for them to turn back before the coastguard started shooting at them.
