Death toll from mass crossing into Spain’s Ceuta rises to 79
The death toll from last week’s mass crossing from Morocco into the Spanish city of Ceuta has risen to 79, with all of the bodies recovered from the sea, according to forensic officials.
An estimated 72,000 people breached the border and entered Ceuta on July 30. Most of the deaths were caused by drowning as people attempted to reach the Spanish territory by sea.
Ceuta’s Institute of Legal Medicine said Tuesday that 79 bodies have been recovered from the sea since the mass crossing, according to EFE. Autopsies have been completed on 77, but only two of the bodies have been identified.
The figures differ from a broader count released by the Ceuta government, which reported 88 deaths linked to the incident. Another 11 bodies were found along the coast of Morocco.
Ceuta asked the Spanish government to declare a national emergency because of the unprecedented arrival, but the request was denied.
By July 31, Spanish officials said about 70,000 people had voluntarily returned to Morocco.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
