Migrant crisis at Ceuta claims 67 lives; Spain erects new border barrier

A severe migrant crisis at Ceuta, Spain's territory in North Africa, has claimed at least 67 lives, according to Spanish government officials. The victims drowned at sea or were crushed in a deadly stampede as thousands attempted to breach the border from Morocco.

An estimated 60,000 people made the perilous journey from Morocco to Ceuta on Thursday and Friday. In response to the massive influx, Spanish authorities announced plans to construct a new 500-meter security barrier along the Tarajal breakwater, which extends into the sea.

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The return of people has started positively, but the process needs to be completed.

While many migrants who reached Ceuta were returned to Morocco, Spanish Interior Ministry figures indicate that over 48,000 of the approximately 50,000 who crossed have been sent back. Calm has returned to the city of about 84,000 inhabitants after days of chaos, but officials state that life has not yet fully normalized.

Ceuta's Autonomous Administration President, Juan Jesus Vivas, acknowledged the significant impact on daily life, stating that while the return process has begun positively, it needs to be completed. He also noted that full security and public order have not yet been restored. Despite the repatriation efforts, some migrants remain determined to stay in Ceuta. One 23-year-old Moroccan, Mohamed Hatri, claimed that places where migrants could obtain food were closed to pressure them into returning, but he remains resolute in his decision to stay.

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I will not return to Morocco and I am determined to stay in Ceuta, even if I risk starving.