Nearly 69,000 Migrants Return to Morocco After 67 Deaths, But Influx Continues

Around 69,500 migrants have returned to Morocco within the past 30 hours following a mass entry attempt into Spain-controlled Ceuta, according to Spanish police sources cited by the news agency EFE.

Police said the figure may include people who had entered Ceuta before the mass crossing attempt. Some individuals are also believed to have entered Ceuta multiple times and later returned to Morocco.

Meanwhile, Spain has started installing a new security barrier along the Tarajal border area in Ceuta to prevent further unauthorized crossings.

According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, the new measure includes a 500-meter-long inflatable floating barrier. The structure will extend 30 to 70 centimeters above the water surface and about one meter below the water. Anchored floating buoys supplied by the Spanish Navy are also being added, while a separate passage will be kept open for Civil Guard patrol boats.

Following Thursday’s mass entry attempt, Spain and Morocco announced plans to send migrants back to their respective countries, prompting many to return to the border area. Limited access to food, shops and basic services in Ceuta also forced many migrants to go back to Morocco.

Spain’s Interior Ministry said the death toll among migrants attempting to reach Spain from Morocco has risen to 67. Authorities also fear that several others may have drowned at sea.