More than half of the 60,000 migrants who have entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta since early Friday have already been returned to Morocco, according to Spain's Interior Ministry, as cited by local media.
The estimate covers the period up to 1 p.m. local time on Friday, meaning the number is expected to rise as returns continue. Local media also reported that at least 34 people died while attempting to swim from Morocco to Ceuta.
The mass arrival overwhelmed Spanish authorities and Spanish citizens in the autonomous city, which has a population of just under 83,000. The latest arrivals come on top of the 1,500 to 2,000 migrants who had already reached Ceuta in recent days.
Spain and Morocco agreed on Thursday to accelerate the return of migrants who entered the enclave irregularly.
The response from Madrid
