Missing persons office opens in Ceuta as families search for migrants after border surge

Authorities in Spain’s enclave of Ceuta have opened a missing persons office to help families searching for relatives who disappeared during last week’s mass migration attempt from Morocco.

The office, established after the unprecedented influx of migrants into Ceuta, is working to determine the whereabouts of those still unaccounted for following Thursday’s chaotic border crossing.

Officials leading the operation say teams have already collected 29 profiles of potential missing individuals, with one person successfully identified so far. Family members continue arriving at the Civil Guard facility near the Tarajal border crossing, providing details that could assist identification efforts.

The surge saw around 72,000 migrants enter Ceuta in recent days, though authorities say all but a few thousand have since returned to Morocco.

For some families, the return of relatives brought relief. For others, the failed journey ended in disappointment.

The crossing attempt also came with a heavy human cost. More than 80 migrants died, including people who drowned or were killed in a stampede while trying to breach a breakwater barrier, according to Spanish and Moroccan authorities.

As searches continue, the newly created office remains a key point of contact for families desperate for answers.