A summer night in Ceuta. Against the backdrop of dark waves, four teenagers slowly approach a patrol boat. They are greeted by marine service officers, who try to calm the shivering children, trembling with fear and cold. One of them, barely able to stand, thanks a rescuer with a gesture. None are wearing wetsuits—only wet t-shirts and shorts, and the youngest looks no older than thirteen. One clings to a half-deflated float, another holds his sandals under his arm. This scene is just one of many that unfold along Spain’s borders nearly every day.
Since the beginning of the year, the bodies of 30 people who attempted the dangerous swim from Morocco have been found in the waters and on the beaches of Ceuta. This figure has already surpassed last year’s total of 21 deaths. In a single day in September, divers recovered three bodies from the water, and that night, another swimmer was rescued, resuscitated right on the boat, and taken to the hospital.
The problem is becoming more severe. In recent weeks, local media have published appeals from dozens of families unable to find their relatives after attempts to cross the strait. Sometimes the identities of the deceased can be established so their bodies can be returned home, but more often the process is delayed. DNA analysis is required for identification, and relatives from Morocco cannot always come due to visa restrictions. The remains are buried anonymously, as happened recently at the Muslim cemetery of Sidi Embarek—only a number on the stone and hope that, someday, the name will be known.
The system cannot cope with the influx. The morgue lacks refrigeration units, and staff are overwhelmed. Local organizations and politicians have repeatedly raised the issue of insufficient resources and the inability to provide a dignified farewell for the deceased. Authorities in Ceuta note that the number of underage migrants under the city’s care exceeds the system’s capacity by 20 times. Most of them are housed in temporary centers, and the city is forced to appeal to the central government for help in relocating children to other regions.
The influx does not subside even in autumn. In the first eight months of the year alone, more than two thousand people reached Ceuta, with about 80% of them swimming across. In bad weather, the number of attempts rises sharply; sometimes, more than a hundred people take to the water in a single night. Border guards and rescuers are working at their limit, and coordination with their Moroccan counterparts does not always prevent tragedies. As autumn arrives, the water grows colder, increasing the risk of hypothermia and death.
Authorities acknowledge: the situation does not resemble the sharp surges of previous years, but the flow has not stopped for a single day. For many families on both sides of the strait, it is a daily pain and an anxious wait for news. For the city, it is a constant test of endurance.
