CEUTA, Spain (AP) — A heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded as a teenage girl made it to Spanish territory, surviving the waves, while her brother did not, drowning in the Mediterranean. Their mother vanished during the massive surge of people fleeing Morocco.
The story of the 17-year-old from Tangier mirrors the desperate plight faced by many of the over 800 minors who converged on Ceuta, seeking refuge and opportunity. The Associated Press chose not to disclose her identity due to her vulnerable status.
The girl recounted her experiences to an AP photojournalist, explaining how her family joined the crowd swimming around the border fence into Spanish lands that Thursday. Their journey was driven by hope for a better future. Among the chaos, Spanish police retrieved her 8-year-old brother’s body from the sea. While she reached safety onshore, she lost contact with her mother, navigating the uncertainties alone.
In Ceuta, locals offered her food and clothing, one kind woman even allowing her to bathe at her home. The government-run youth center was at capacity when she sought help there.
I saw people stepping on the dead.
She expressed through a translator, emphasizing the bleak existence they now face as children begging in the streets.
As reported by local officials, she is counted among approximately 860 minors who had successfully crossed into Ceuta by Monday. AP journalists observed other minors soliciting food, marking the dire conditions.
Among the remaining migrants, minors form a significant portion of the 3,000 to 5,000 who have evaded expulsion from the original mass of 60,000 arrivals. 72 fatalities were confirmed by Spanish authorities, mostly occurring during the crossing. Morocco accounted for 11 additional deaths, not included in the Spanish tally, as confirmed by the Spanish interior ministry.
Spanish Law and Migrant Minors
Under Spanish law, adult migrants must apply for asylum and face expulsion if rejected. Moroccans seldom secure humanitarian protection. However, unaccompanied minors are entitled to protection and care.
An AP journalist captured a distressing scene where Spanish soldiers escorted a crying Moroccan boy toward repatriation. With media presence and local residents advocating on his behalf, a lieutenant colonel halted the repatriation, transferring him to the Spanish Civil Guard for proper care.
Most adult Moroccans have returned home voluntarily or been expelled by police. Among those staying in Ceuta are individuals from other countries, including Sudanese war refugees, Palestinians from Gaza, Afghans, and migrants from African nations.
The migrant center, built for only 600 people, is overwhelmed. Food scarcity persists according to AP journalists’ accounts.
The strategy is that hunger, thirst and exhaustion forces these people to finally decide to voluntarily return to Morocco.
These words from Ramsés Mohamed Azumik, a local migration activist from Asociación Elín, highlight the dire conditions. Migrants endure on the beaches and hills, gazing across the sea at mainland Europe, their ultimate haven.
Across Europe, the aspiration for a new life persists despite the adversity.
Associated Press writer Joseph Wilson in Barcelona contributed additional insights.