Three Moroccans die in Ceuta border crossing amid surge of migrants
Three Moroccan men died while attempting to cross into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, part of a wave that left at least 90 dead and prompted tighter security by both countries.
A surge of migrants trying to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on the North African coast resulted in the deaths of three Moroccan men, officials said. The victims – Ayoub Akbili, 31, Hamza Haibouri, 28, and 19-year-old Abdelouahed Iken – were among more than 70,000 people who swam or climbed over a breakwater last month, a movement that authorities estimate caused at least 90 fatalities, though rights groups claim the toll is higher.
Akbili, a physics graduate working in a car-parts factory in Tangier, said he was motivated by the need to pay for his mother’s surgery after seeing Facebook posts about the border being open. He paid a driver $129 to take him near Ceuta on July 31 and was later found dead with severe head trauma, according to a Moroccan Interior Ministry document.
Haibouri, a second-division soccer player from Kenitra, hoped to pursue a professional career in Europe. He joined the crowd from the beach town of Martil and was confirmed dead by his club’s fan group.
Iken, a high-school student from Agadir, was inspired by a friend’s photos from Italy. He bought a life jacket and attempted the crossing with friends, but drowned, according to family members.
"His mind changed completely. He went from someone who wasn’t thinking about illegal migration to wanting to go by all means," said Abdelhakim Saadaoui, a relative of Akbili.
"He always had this idea of living abroad and going to France, to get better soccer and a better life," said Bilal Ratib, a friend of Haibouri.
Moroccan and Spanish authorities have stepped up security and blamed social-media rumors and smuggling networks for the influx, while migrants cited unemployment and low wages as drivers. Families of the deceased face repatriation costs of around 2,500 euros per body, and the process has been delayed by bureaucratic hurdles, according to relatives.
The Trade Union Network for Migration in Morocco has called on both governments to cover the expenses of returning the bodies. Autopsies on 82 migrants brought ashore in Ceuta have been completed, and DNA testing confirmed Haibouri’s identity, but families have not yet received the remains.