Ceuta crisis death toll rises to 72 as thousands return to Morocco

Death toll climbs

The death toll from the mass migration attempt on the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has climbed to 72 after rescue teams recovered additional bodies from the waters between Morocco and the North African territory, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported Sunday. Spain’s Interior Ministry estimates that more than 50,000 migrants entered Ceuta irregularly on Thursday during the peak of the crisis.

Border barriers installed

Spanish authorities installed a 500-meter sea barrier at the Tarajal border area on Saturday to prevent further irregular crossings by swimmers attempting to reach the enclave from Moroccan shores. In the separate Spanish enclave of Melilla, located 224 kilometers east of Ceuta, authorities temporarily slowed traffic at the Beni-Enzar border crossing after detecting an attempted irregular crossing before resuming normal operations.

Medical response and EU talks

More than 48,300 migrants have returned to Morocco, with many departing voluntarily while authorities escorted additional groups to the Tarajal border crossing for repatriation. Spain’s National Institute of Health Management said 1,149 migrants have received medical treatment in Ceuta, including one seriously injured person awaiting transfer to mainland Spain. EU justice and interior ministers are scheduled to discuss the migration emergency at a meeting on Tuesday.