Morocco Disputes Spain’s Death Toll in Ceuta Migrant Crossing
By Sabiu Abdullahi
Morocco has rejected Spain’s account of the number of people who died during the recent mass migrant crossings into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, insisting that the fatalities were far lower than Madrid’s estimate.
Spanish authorities said at least 72 migrants lost their lives during the crossing. Miguel Angel Pérez, the Spanish government’s representative in Ceuta, announced the latest figure on Sunday. His statement came a day after Spain’s Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, reported that at least 67 people had died while attempting to enter the enclave.
Morocco, however, maintained that only 11 people died in the incident. The country’s Interior Ministry said 10 victims drowned, while another person died after falling from a rocky area near the border.
Spanish officials also disclosed that more than 1,000 people had received medical treatment since Thursday as a result of the crisis.
Pérez said conditions in Ceuta had improved significantly, although he noted that authorities still faced challenges before normalcy could fully return.
According to Spain, about 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta during the influx. The figure exceeds half of the enclave’s population.
Reports attributed the mass movement to worsening economic conditions and rumours that spread across social media platforms.
Spanish authorities said on Saturday that almost all of the migrants had returned to Morocco.
Ceuta is one of the European Union’s only two land borders with Africa. The large-scale migration has raised concerns across Europe and prompted several EU member states to tighten security along their borders.