Ceuta migrant crisis eases as more than 73,000 return to Morocco
Ceuta in Spain sees over 73,000 migrants leave after unprecedented border breach (photo: Getty Images)
About 73,500 migrants have already left the Spanish enclave of Ceuta for Morocco, the EFE reports.
Number of migrants who left
According to estimates by the State Security Service of Spain, about 73,500 migrants have left Ceuta following the mass border crossing. The figure may also include people who arrived in the city several days before the breach, as well as individuals who entered and left multiple times.
At the same time, groups of migrants who refuse to return voluntarily remain on Ceuta's central streets, particularly on the outskirts and in wooded areas.
Police sources said it is difficult to determine their exact number, but small groups of three to five people can still be seen in different parts of the city.
How many people died
Spanish government delegate in Ceuta Miguel Ángel Pérez said the number of bodies recovered from the sea has risen to 72. He noted that authorities had received no indication prior to Thursday's mass crossing that such an event was imminent.
The Unified Association of Civil Guards (AUGC) has reported an even higher death toll, estimating that more than 100 people died during the crossing.
The association noted that nearly 60,000 people attempted to enter the city that day, making it the largest migration crisis in Ceuta's history.
Sea barrier, border situation
The country's Interior Ministry said the maritime barriers installed around the breakwater are now fully operational. The system consists of a 500-meter inflatable barrier that rises 30 to 70 centimeters above the water surface, extends one meter below the surface, and is reinforced by a line of anchored buoys installed by the Navy.
Border crossings remained normal in the morning, although authorities expect traffic to increase in the coming hours as part of Operation Crossing the Strait. Officials say the city is gradually returning to normal, while acknowledging that there is still a lot of work ahead.
As previously reported, the Spanish enclave of Ceuta experienced its largest migration crisis in years after about 60,000 people crossed into the territory in a single day. To stabilize the situation, authorities deployed the military to the city and later announced plans to build a protective barrier along the maritime border.
