About 70,000 migrants left Ceuta as death toll reaches 75

Spanish authorities said that roughly 70,000 migrants who entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta have either returned or otherwise left the territory, while the death toll from the mass border crisis between Morocco and Spain reached 75.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska reported that of about 72,000 people who entered Ceuta during the unprecedented migration surge, roughly 70,000 have gone back to Morocco. He added that the Spanish response was swift and that the border situation has now stabilized.

The crisis began when large groups of migrants from Morocco attempted to reach Ceuta, a Spanish territory on the North African coast. Thousands tried to enter by crossing the land boundary and by swimming around the barrier that separates the enclave from Morocco.

Spanish officials said dozens of people died while trying to cross the frontier, mainly from drowning and the chaos that followed the mass movement; the death toll rose over the days after the initial wave and now stands at 75.

Despite the return of the majority, several thousand people remain in Ceuta, including hundreds of unaccompanied minors, placing heavy strain on reception centres and local services.

European response

The episode has sparked broad debate across the European Union about strengthening external borders, cracking down on smuggling networks and managing irregular migration. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for tougher measures to protect Europe’s borders following the events in Ceuta.

Photo: press material from the event