Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Ceuta Begins Burying Unidentified Migrants After Deadly Border Crossing
Many migrants tried to cross from Morocco into Ceuta on July 30.
The crossing became deadly, and many people died.
Ceuta has now started burying the bodies.
Most of the victims still do not have confirmed names.
Officials are using fingerprints and DNA to identify them.
Families are giving DNA samples and searching for missing relatives.
However, many Moroccan relatives cannot legally enter Ceuta to help with the process.
The graves have numbered stones so families can locate the remains later.
Muslim prayers and burial customs are being used.
Ceuta authorities began burying migrants who died during a mass crossing from Morocco on July 30.
About 70 bodies are expected to be buried, with roughly 10 to 12 burials each day.
Around 95% of the victims awaiting burial remain unidentified, according to cemetery manager Said Mohammed.
Spain has confirmed 82 deaths on its side of the border, while Morocco has confirmed 14.
Identification efforts using fingerprints and DNA have been hindered by Moroccan relatives’ difficulty legally entering Ceuta.
- Who
- Migrants who died during the crossing, their families, and authorities in Ceuta, Spain, and Morocco.
- What
- Ceuta began burying dozens of mostly unidentified migrants who died during a mass border crossing.
- When
- The crossing occurred on July 30, and burials began nearly three weeks later on Friday.
- Where
- The burials are taking place at Ceuta’s Muslim cemetery; the crossing was from Morocco into Ceuta.
- Why
- Authorities are burying the victims while continuing efforts to identify them and respond to families searching for missing relatives.
- Expected burials
- Around 70 bodies are expected to be buried over several days.
- Identification status
- About 95% of the victims awaiting burial have not been identified.
- Confirmed deaths in Spain
- Spanish authorities have confirmed 82 migrant deaths on the Spanish side.
- Confirmed deaths in Morocco
- Morocco has confirmed another 14 deaths.
- Crossing scale
- Authorities estimate that at least 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco during the mass movement.
- Migrants remaining in Ceuta
- An estimated 5,000 to 8,000 migrants remain in Ceuta.
- Identification methods
- Authorities are comparing fingerprints and DNA samples with records and relatives’ samples.