Ceuta: At least 72 migrants dead after massive crossing from Morocco

The Spanish enclave of Ceuta, one of the European Union's two land borders in Africa, experienced a massive influx of migrants from Morocco over the weekend, resulting in a tragic death toll. Authorities reported on Sunday that at least 72 people died during the crossings, with five additional bodies discovered along the coastline. The sheer volume of arrivals, with over 50,000 people reaching Ceuta by land and sea from Thursday onwards, overwhelmed the region.

Spanish officials stated that over 48,000 migrants had returned to Morocco within 48 hours, with more departures over the weekend. The health services attended to more than 1,000 individuals since Thursday. While the situation in the city has reportedly improved, significant efforts are still needed to return to normalcy. The perilous journey saw some migrants drown, while others were crushed attempting to scale the border fence and a breakwater.

The president of Ceuta, Juan Jesus Vivas, told El País that the city's morgue received 88 bodies, noting that some deaths occurred during smaller, earlier attempts to reach the territory in the preceding weeks. Moroccan authorities were also reported to be recovering bodies from the sea. The scale of the tragedy highlights the ongoing challenges and dangers faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe.