Spain Says Migrants Returning from Ceuta After Border Rush Claims 57 Lives

Spain announced Friday that it had managed to reverse a massive influx of migrants into its North African enclave of Ceuta. The government stated that the majority of the more than 50,000 people who had crossed the border by land and sea were already heading back voluntarily.

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57 bodies had been recovered on the Spanish side of the border and that there could be additional casualties on the Moroccan side.

However, the situation came at a tragic cost. Officials confirmed that 57 bodies were recovered on the Spanish side of the border. Some migrants drowned, while others were crushed while attempting to scale the breakwater near the border fence. There are fears of additional casualties on the Moroccan side.

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some drowned and some were crushed while trying to climb the breakwater that holds the border fence.

The Spanish Interior Ministry reported that approximately 50,000 people crossed the border starting Thursday morning, with an estimated 48,300 having returned by Friday evening. Juan Jesus Vivas, head of Ceuta’s local government, indicated that as many as 60,000 people may have pushed across the border in the past two days.

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around 50,000 people had crossed the border since Thursday morning, and estimated that 48,300 had returned by 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) on Friday.

Moroccan forces attempted to control the crowds at the gates of Ceuta, using batons and tear gas to prevent further entry into the small Spanish territory. The border rush created divisions within Europe, prompting leaders of other EU states to urge Spain to contain the incident. Italy announced it was suspending the European Union’s border-free Schengen arrangements with Spain, a move that would affect air and sea travel between the two countries. Madrid argued that Italy's action violated EU treaties.

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as many as 60,000 people had pushed across over the past couple of days.