Rabat – Spanish officials said the latest official figures show that the death toll in the Ceuta migration crossings climbed to 72.
El País said that despite the official data, authorities in the Spanish enclave say 88 bodies have been recovered from the water.
“Some of the bodies are in an advanced state of decomposition, as they continue to wash ashore more than two weeks after the mass crossings,” the report said.
Ceuta, according to reports, and its borders are returning to normal after the mass crossings that reached their peak on July 30. Over 60,000 entered the enclave in just one day.
An agreement between Spain and Morocco, however, enabled the return of the migrants who crossed into the enclave illegally.
Morocco and Spain also hailed their cooperation, with Spanish officials emphasizing Morocco’s role in migration management and describing the collaboration as exemplary.
Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas told El País it is a tragedy, with the city’s morgue expanding to accommodate up to 200 bodies, reporting that the facility currently holds 88 bodies.
The Spanish government, however, continues to officially report 72 deaths.
Commenting on the event, Vivas described the deaths as a “tragedy,” stating that Moroccan authorities also recovered bodies from the sea.
“Not all of the victims died during the massive surge,” the report said, stating that some bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition.
