Death toll rises to 19 after mass migrant crossings to Ceuta

Friday 31 July 2026 - 11:06

By: Sahili Aya

Death toll rises to 19 after mass migrant crossings to Ceuta

The death toll linked to a large-scale migrant crossing toward the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has risen to at least 19, underscoring the growing humanitarian cost of irregular migration across the Morocco-Spain border.

According to information reported by Spanish news agency EFE, most of the victims are believed to have drowned while attempting to swim from the Moroccan coastal city of Fnideq to Ceuta. The incident follows several days of intensified crossing attempts involving thousands of people seeking to reach Spanish territory.

Authorities have transferred the recovered bodies to forensic and police services for autopsies and identification procedures. Officials have not yet released details regarding the identities, ages or nationalities of the victims, while several bodies reportedly remain unidentified or await repatriation.

At the same time, families in Morocco have reported relatives missing after taking part in the attempted crossings, raising concerns that the number of casualties could increase as search and identification efforts continue.

On Thursday, large crowds gathered in Fnideq near the border with Ceuta, hoping to enter the Spanish enclave by land or by sea. Unofficial estimates suggested that more than 20,000 people participated in the movement, including young adults, women and minors. Authorities have not published a final official assessment of the number of participants.

The latest fatalities bring the number of migrants who have died attempting to swim to Ceuta since the beginning of the year to 49, including 30 deaths recorded during July alone. The figure has already surpassed the total number of migrant deaths documented for the whole of 2025, highlighting the increasing dangers associated with migration routes between Morocco and Spain.