Spain has fully activated a floating maritime barrier along the coastal border of the North African enclave of Ceuta. The measure is intended to prevent further illegal crossings from Morocco after tens of thousands of migrants attempted to enter the city in recent days, many of whom crossed the border by swimming.
The barrier was installed at Tarajal beach and, according to Spanish authorities, has been fully operational since Sunday. Its deployment is part of tightened security measures adopted by Madrid in response to one of the most serious migration crises in the country's modern history.
Spanish authorities simultaneously announced that the official death toll linked to the crisis has risen to 72. However, the regional government of Ceuta stated that 88 bodies are now held in the city's morgue. Some were found in the sea more than two weeks after the main migration wave. The identification of victims is still ongoing, and the final death toll is therefore not yet known.
Although the influx of migrants has slowed in recent days, the situation in Ceuta has not yet returned to normal. Extensive police and military operations are continuing in the city. Security forces are detaining migrants still moving through the streets and transporting them to police stations, where their identification is being processed.
Following identity verification, Spanish authorities are to initiate deportation proceedings. Reinforced controls are also continuing along the coastline and at border crossings.
The crisis in Ceuta has once again reopened the debate on protecting the European Union's external borders, cooperation with Morocco, and the manner in which European states should respond to sudden mass migration waves. The Spanish government now faces pressure to simultaneously ensure border security and compliance with humanitarian rules.
gnews.cz - GH