Ceuta Accelerates Migrant Returns Amidst 72 Deaths at Sea

Spanish authorities are expediting the return of migrants who entered the autonomous city of Ceuta irregularly in recent days. Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano, the government delegate in Ceuta, stated that efforts are underway to process the cases of those who arrived from Morocco and execute their returns as quickly as possible.

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We will give them when we have them.

This announcement comes as the government delegate reported that 72 migrants have died while attempting to reach the Spanish coast by swimming. While the exact number of migrants who have been returned to Morocco has not been specified, Pérez Triano indicated that the number of people present in Ceuta has significantly decreased following the recent influx.

The border crossing at Tarajal, separating Ceuta from Morocco, was calm on Sunday morning. While there were no new attempts to enter via the border fence, a small group of about ten individuals tried to swim ashore and were intercepted by army personnel. The border crossing itself showed little activity, though increased transit was expected due to the Operation Passage of the Strait (OPE).

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In Ceuta, as you can already see, there are far fewer people than those who entered. Many departures have occurred.

The security deployment, both maritime and land-based, has been reduced compared to Saturday. However, the Spanish Army continues to provide support to the Civil Guard in the area. Maritime containment measures, including a buoy barrier, have not detected further access attempts, with Civil Guard units maintaining control at sea.

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We will act inevitably to expedite the processing of migrants' return to their countries of origin.