Ceuta entierra a los primeros migrantes fallecidos en la avalancha en El Tarajal

Ceuta has buried the first migrants who died in a landslide at El Tarajal, marking the end of the lives of the 18 individuals who perished on July 30th and 31st due to a massive influx of migrants through the frontier pier. This was the 82nd fatality in total, with 81 being men and one woman. All of the deceased were laid to rest on Friday afternoon in the Muslim cemetery of Sidi Embarek.

The public funeral attracted around a dozen imams from the city's mosques. Their graves bear numbers as names and identities remain unknown to the families. These graves are linked to a judicial case, providing only basic information about the circumstances of their deaths: where they were found, physical descriptions, clothing, and any unique features that might connect them to their families.

Only nine of the deceased have been identified so far, and as of now, Morocco has not agreed to return their bodies to their families. Health Minister Nabila Benzina explained that the reasons behind the tragedy are unknown and that funeral homes have attempted two times to contact families. Some have managed to witness the burial of their loved ones, but none were able to reunite with them in their homeland.

Benzina reiterated that efforts to reconnect the families will continue, despite the limited time they have due to the need to adhere to sanitary recommendations.