The death toll from the migration crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has risen to 72, while thousands of other migrants have been turned back to Morocco after massive attempts to cross the border irregularly.
According to Spanish authorities, rescue teams have recovered the bodies of 72 people who drowned while trying to swim from the coast of Morocco to Ceuta, one of two Spanish enclaves in North Africa.
Meanwhile, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reports that more than 48,300 migrants have returned to Morocco, as the return process continues. Some of them have returned voluntarily, while others have been escorted by Spanish authorities to the Tarajal border crossing for repatriation.
To prevent new illegal crossings, Spanish authorities have installed a sea barrier of about 500 meters in the border area of Tarajal. In parallel, security forces are carrying out checks in the city's neighborhoods to identify migrants who may have remained in Ceuta.
The situation has also been tense in the other Spanish enclave, Melilla, where authorities temporarily restricted traffic at the Beni-Enzar border crossing after an attempt to illegally cross the border fence. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic then returned to normal.
Spain's National Institute of Health Management said 1,149 migrants had received medical treatment in Ceuta, while one seriously injured person was expected to be transferred to mainland Spain for specialist care.
Spain's Interior Ministry estimates that over 50,000 migrants have attempted to enter Ceuta irregularly in recent days, causing one of the biggest migration crises on the border between Europe and Africa.
The crisis is expected to be at the center of discussions at the meeting of European Union Justice and Interior Ministers, where measures to manage migratory flows and strengthen border controls will be reviewed.
