CEUTA, Spain: Spain has begun installing a 500-metre floating barrier along the sea border between its North African enclave of Ceuta and neighbouring Morocco after a mass migrant crossing left at least 67 people dead and overwhelmed local authorities.
The barrier is being deployed near Tarajal beach, one of the main crossing points used by migrants, following an unprecedented influx of between 50,000 and 60,000 people into the Spanish territory earlier this week.
Spanish authorities said the death toll had climbed to 67, with victims dying from drowning or in a stampede as thousands attempted to cross the breakwater into Ceuta.
Officials said the majority of those who entered Ceuta have already returned to Morocco, with more than 48,000 people leaving the enclave within two days.
Security Tightened
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said authorities were acting firmly against illegal border crossings.
“We are relentless against those who break the law,” he told reporters in Ceuta.
He rejected suggestions that Morocco posed a threat to Spain, describing Rabat as “a reliable partner” and saying cooperation between the two countries had helped restore order within 24 hours.
Ceuta regional president Juan Jesús Vivas said the city had yet to return to normal despite a significant reduction in migrant arrivals.
“The return of people has begun satisfactorily, but the process must be completed,” he said.
Migrants Face Uncertainty
On the Moroccan side of the border, many migrants were seen returning from Ceuta exhausted after failed attempts to reach Europe.
Others remained near the border town of Fnideq, hoping for another opportunity to cross, while Moroccan security forces stepped up vehicle checks and patrols in the area.
Some migrants who managed to reach Ceuta said they intended to remain despite food shortages and increasing pressure to return to Morocco.
The latest crisis has renewed concerns over migration across the European Union’s only land border with Africa and highlighted the humanitarian risks faced by people attempting the dangerous crossing.
