i24NEWS reports that Spain has begun installing a floating barrier at the sea border with the Ceuta enclave, as the death toll from the recent migrant surge rises to 67. Spanish Interior Minister Marleska described Morocco as a 'completely reliable partner' and said dozens of European countries are demanding an emergency meeting.
Saturday afternoon, i24NEWS reported that Spain has begun installing a floating barrier at the sea border of the Ceuta enclave, a new measure aimed at preventing irregular crossings from Morocco. The death toll from the mass border surge that began Thursday has risen to 67, according to the report. Spanish Interior Minister Marleska was quoted as saying Morocco is a 'completely reliable partner' and that dozens of European countries are demanding an emergency meeting.
The crisis at the Ceuta border has been unfolding since Thursday. On Friday, initial reports from a Spanish news agency indicated 57 migrants had been killed attempting to enter the enclave. Shortly after, The Zioneer reported that the death toll had risen to 57, with a 9-year-old girl reported missing and over 37,000 Moroccans returning to their country. CNN later reported that approximately 50,000 people had attempted to cross this week. The death toll was then updated to 67 by Friday evening. The Zioneer has been tracking the crisis with multiple updates throughout the day.
Earlier on Friday, The Zioneer reported that Spanish authorities announced nearly all migrants who entered Ceuta had returned to Morocco, with approximately 48,300 individuals crossing back. The crisis has triggered diplomatic tensions within Europe. Italy ordered the closure of its sea and air borders with Spain and suspended Schengen, as The Zioneer reported. France reinforced its land borders with Spain, and Denmark's Prime Minister called for the EU to consider suspending Schengen cooperation. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized the EU reaction as 'selfish' and called for an emergency meeting of EU ministers. Spain also summoned the Italian ambassador after Italy's foreign minister supported closing the Schengen border.
The whereabouts of the 9-year-old girl reported missing on Friday remain unconfirmed. The full effectiveness of the newly installed floating barrier has yet to be assessed. The humanitarian situation inside Ceuta continues to be monitored as the diplomatic fallout among EU member states deepens.
6 developments
- StrongItaly orders closure of sea and air borders with Spain, suspends Schengen over Ceuta crisis
- DevelopingMacron orders reinforced border controls with Spain amid Ceuta migrant crisis
- StrongNew court ruling blocks immediate return of migrants to Spain; local governor warns of 'chaos' as influx continues
- DevelopingSpain rejects national emergency declaration for Ceuta migrant surge
Source and signal
- Open-source intake