Morocco says 40,000 took part in mass crossing attempt to Spain’s Ceuta, 11 died

Morocco’s Interior Ministry said on Sunday that the latest mass attempts to cross into the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla were driven by misleading information on social media and human trafficking networks.

In a statement, the ministry said the evidence gathered and analysed showed that the incidents were not the result of temporary or spontaneous factors, but rather the outcome of several overlapping factors, according to Reuters.

The ministry said the main factors included the deliberate misuse of digital platforms, the spread of false information, the activities of human trafficking gangs, and the misinterpretation of legal and administrative procedures.

It added that about 40,000 people took part in the mass crossing attempt into Ceuta, while 1,135 people were prevented from entering Melilla.

The ministry also said that 11 people died, most of them by drowning while attempting the crossing. It added that authorities are verifying reports from the other side of the border regarding the deaths.