Ceuta raises death toll from July migrant sea disaster to 82

The Guardia Civil in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta located two additional bodies on Thursday, increasing the total number of deceased recovered from the sea to 82. The deaths are linked to the massive arrival of more than 70,000 migrants from Morocco on 30 July, many of whom attempted to reach the coast by swimming.

Specialised underwater rescue teams (GEAS) continue a search operation for the missing, while the Institute of Legal Medicine (IML) in Ceuta has performed 79 autopsies. Two victims have been positively identified through fingerprint matching, and DNA testing is underway for six further cases. The forensic effort aims to provide families with identification of all the victims.