Death toll from migrant rush into Ceuta, Spain rises to 72

CEUTA, Spain — The death toll from last week's mass rush of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta rose to at least 72 on Sunday after five more bodies were recovered along the North African coast, officials said.

The updated toll is significantly higher than the 11 deaths reported by Morocco's Interior Ministry, which said it was still verifying reports of additional fatalities on the Spanish side of the border.

More than 50,000 people crossed into Ceuta by land and sea beginning Thursday, marking an unprecedented surge at one of the European Union's only two land borders with Africa. Spanish authorities said more than 48,000 migrants returned to Morocco within 48 hours, with additional returns continuing over the weekend.

Miguel Angel Perez, the Spanish government's representative in Ceuta, said more than 1,000 people received medical treatment during the crisis. While conditions in the enclave have improved, he said authorities are continuing efforts to restore normalcy.

Many migrants drowned or were crushed while attempting to climb the border fence and breakwater. Officials said many were driven by economic hardship and influenced by misinformation circulating on social media.

Morocco's Interior Ministry blamed the mass crossing on false information online, human trafficking networks and misunderstandings surrounding a Spanish court ruling on migrant returns at sea. Spanish officials have expressed similar views.

Moroccan authorities estimated that about 40,000 people attempted to cross into Ceuta, well below Spain's estimate of more than 50,000. Morocco also said it prevented 1,135 people from entering the Spanish enclave of Melilla.

The ministry reiterated Morocco's commitment to combating illegal migration and called for greater international cooperation in managing migration flows.

Border security tightened

Authorities have increased police and military patrols in Ceuta, while a 500-meter (1,600-foot) floating barrier was installed offshore on Saturday to strengthen border security.

Juan Jesus Vivas, the leader of Ceuta, told Spanish newspaper El Pais that the city's morgue had received 88 bodies, including people who died in separate attempts to reach the enclave in the two weeks before the latest surge. He added that Moroccan authorities were also recovering bodies from the sea, although no official figures were available.

The incident has prompted concern across Europe. Twenty-two European Union member states have called for coordinated measures to strengthen the bloc's external borders. Italy also suspended passport-free travel with Spain under the Schengen Agreement for one month.

Spain has defended its migration policies, rejecting claims that its plan to grant legal residency to more than half a million undocumented migrants encouraged the mass crossing. The government said migrants who enter Ceuta irregularly cannot travel onward to mainland Spain or other countries within the Schengen area. -Reporting by David Latona and Ahmed El Jechtimi: writing by Andrei Khalip and Kevin Liffey; Editing by Paul Simao/Reuters