The number of deaths linked to the arrival of thousands of people by swimming in the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta, located in North Africa, has risen to 72. The update follows the discovery of five more bodies on the coast on May 2. Many of the migrants drowned or were crushed while trying to climb the breakwater and fence that demarcates the border.
Details about the intense arrival of immigrants in Spain
A large wave of migration occurred on April 30, when around 60,000 immigrants, mostly young Moroccans, crossed the border between Morocco and Spain. This number represents approximately 70% of the 84 thousand inhabitants of the small territory of Ceuta, which covers 18.5 km².
According to Miguel Ángel Pérez, representative of the Spanish government in Ceuta, more than a thousand people have required health services since April 30. He stated that “the situation in the enclave has improved considerably, but there is still much to be done to restore normality.”
Juan Jesús Vivas, the city’s mayor, reported that the local morgue had received 88 bodies, including some of individuals who died in previous crossing attempts in the past two weeks. Moroccan authorities were also working to recover bodies from the sea.
Ceuta, together with Melilla, is located on the north coast of Africa, opposite the Strait of Gibraltar, and constitutes the only land border between the European Union and the African continent. These autonomous cities in Spain often witness waves of migrants seeking to enter Europe.
Images released by news agencies showed a crowd of young people crossing the sea in different ways, whether swimming, using buoys or being rescued by boats. Some were recorded shouting “Long live Spain” after crossing, while Civil Guard agents offered water and support.
Controversy and difference in the numbers presented
There is a notable divergence in official data on deaths. While Spanish authorities point to a number above 70, the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior disclosed, in a statement on May 2, that only 11 people lost their lives in the attempt to reach Ceuta. The Moroccan body explained that it is still verifying the information on the deaths provided by Spain.
Furthermore, Morocco estimated the total number of people involved in the crossing at 40 thousand people, unlike the Spanish count, which exceeds 50 thousand. In the note, the Moroccan government reiterated its commitment to combating illegal immigration and requested that responsibility for managing migratory flows be shared between countries.
Widening immigration crisis in the region
The current situation intensifies a migration crisis that had already been worsening during the month. Before the mass arrival on April 30, more than 1,500 migrants had already arrived in Ceuta in the previous week, according to information from local authorities. The city’s immigrant reception center is operating above capacity, and days earlier, more than 400 people were waiting for a place.
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior stated that criminal groups may have taken advantage of a recent Supreme Court ruling to encourage attempts to enter Spanish territory. The ruling established that people who arrive in the country by sea irregularly cannot be immediately returned to another State.
Faced with the crisis, the Spanish government mobilized military personnel to assist the Civil Guard and reinforced the police force responsible for security in Ceuta. Authorities also reported that they had reached an agreement with Rabat to adopt measures aimed at returning “as quickly as possible” to Morocco all people who entered Ceuta illegally.
“We are in a situation of absolute humanitarian and social emergency”, warned Mayor Juan Vivas.
