Spain reports Ceuta migrant crisis death toll rises to 72 as returns to Morocco continue

Spanish authorities announced on Sunday that the death toll from the surge of migrants from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has risen to 72, as recovery operations for bodies along the beaches continue.

Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano, the government delegate in Ceuta, said the number could increase further, noting that 88 bodies have been transferred to the morgue, some in advanced stages of decomposition.

Calm has gradually returned to the border crossing between Morocco and Ceuta, with normal travel resuming after two weeks of irregular migration.

Moroccan authorities have tightened security measures in the nearby city of Fnideq and provided buses to transport returning migrants to cities such as Tangier.

Local sources reported that tens of thousands of migrants who crossed into Ceuta have voluntarily returned to Morocco, a day after the mass influx that caused chaos and resulted in dozens of deaths.

Ceuta’s governor, Juan Jesús Vivas, stated that the number of migrants reached 60,000—about 70% of the enclave’s population—while the Spanish government confirmed that most returned quickly.

Migrants faced severe difficulties during the crossing, with some swimming several kilometers at sea and encountering attempts to push them back using water cannons, tear gas, and warning shots.

Rachid Sbihi, head of a labor association representing Spanish Civil Guard officers, said some victims drowned, while others died in a stampede at the breakwater on Tarajal beach.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez blamed human traffickers for the crisis, saying they are leading many young people to their deaths.

Meanwhile, Morocco’s ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, stressed that Morocco prioritizes legal and organized migration, without commenting on the migrants’ motives for crossing the border.

Migrants often swim from the city of Fnideq for about five kilometers to reach Ceuta, while others attempt the crossing from the nearby town of Belyounech, where the distance is shorter.