Death toll in Ceuta reaches 96 as probe finds social media shared crossing routes

The death toll from the mass attempt to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has risen to 96 people, authorities say — 82 died on the Spanish side and 14 on the Moroccan side.

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) has issued a separate estimate, saying that as many as 141 people lost their lives in attempts to reach Melilla, another Spanish enclave in North Africa.

Medical findings and identifications

Manuel Aparcero, director of the Institute of Southern Medicine in Ceuta, said the main cause of death among the victims was mechanical asphyxia caused by drowning. Autopsies have been completed on all recovered bodies, but only six people have been identified so far; they are adult men and all hold Moroccan nationality. To speed up identification, the Spanish Civil Guard has forwarded fingerprints to Moroccan authorities for comparison with their databases.

Emergency services described the situation at the shelter area near Tarajal beach as "terrifying." At the peak of the arrivals, between 60 and 100 people were coming ashore on the Spanish side every minute.

"When we arrived, it was a terrible scene. It was a massive influx of migrants, and many were already dead, while others were in terminal exhaustion," Aparcero said, describing the field response.

An investigation by the Moroccan National Council for Human Rights found that social media played a significant role in organising the mass crossings. The inquiry analysed 23 Facebook groups with more than one million members and concluded that information on routes, conditions and methods for crossing the sea to Ceuta was being shared in those groups.

Authorities in both countries say investigations and operational cooperation are ongoing as they seek to clarify the circumstances of the arrivals and improve identification and victim support.

Photo: press material from the event