Death toll from migrant rush into Ceuta rises to 72

The death toll from Thursday's mass rush into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco ‌reached at least 72 on Sunday as five more bodies were found along Ceuta's coast, officials said.

More than 50,000 people crossed into Ceuta by land and sea in an unprecedented surge that began on Thursday at one of the European Union's only two land borders with Africa, prompting alarm across the bloc. More than 48,000 returned to Morocco within 48 hours and more again over the weekend, Spanish authorities said.

The Spanish government representative in Ceuta, Miguel Angel ⁠Perez, told reporters on Sunday that, in addition to the 72 fatalities, more than 1,000 people had been treated by health services since Thursday. The situation in the city had improved markedly, he said, but more remained to be done to re-establish normality.

Some migrants drowned and others were crushed while trying to climb a breakwater and border fence. Many had been driven to migrate by economic hardship and encouraged by social media rumours.

Reuters