Morocco's Interior Ministry has released its first official death toll following last week's mass migrant crossings into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta, reporting 11 fatalities, a figure that sharply contrasts with Spain's estimate of at least 72 deaths.
According to Moroccan authorities, 10 of the victims drowned while another died after falling from a rocky area. Interior Ministry spokesperson Rachid El Khalfi said Morocco is working with Spain to verify the number of casualties and identify bodies found on Spanish territory. Prosecutors have also launched an official investigation into the events.
The mass crossing unfolded between Wednesday and Friday, when tens of thousands of migrants attempted to enter Ceuta, creating the enclave's largest migration surge on record and triggering political tensions within the European Union. Spain estimates that more than 60,000 people entered the territory during the crisis, although most returned voluntarily to Morocco within 48 hours.
Morocco said there were around 40,000 attempts to cross illegally into Ceuta and another 1,135 attempts to enter the Spanish enclave of Melilla farther east. According to the ministry, those trying to reach Melilla were immediately returned to Moroccan territory.
