Morocco migrant death toll hits 67; Spain PM slams EU 'selfishness'

The death toll from a surge of migrants crossing from Morocco into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta has climbed to 67, prompting a sharp rebuke from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez against other European Union members. Sánchez denounced the response from several EU states as "selfish, polarizing and unlawful," particularly after Italy temporarily imposed border controls on travel from Spain and France's interior minister ordered extra checks along their shared border. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni even called for Spain's suspension from the Schengen agreement. Thousands of migrants attempted the crossing by land and sea on Thursday, overwhelming border guards. Spanish authorities reported that most had returned to Morocco by Friday evening. Officials in Ceuta stated that many of the deceased drowned in the chaos. Sánchez argued in a letter that such reactions are "driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance or political interest." He stressed that the EU "cannot afford this kind of selfish, polarizing and unlawful reaction" in the current global climate. Ireland, holding the EU's rotating presidency, announced an emergency meeting for national ministers to address the crossings. Spanish officials aim to expel irregular arrivals as quickly as possible, though a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling on due process for sea arrivals may complicate deportations. Experts suggest the ruling might have been misinterpreted by migrants and traffickers.

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