Dozens of Moroccans gathered in the northern town of Fnideq on August 2, anxiously seeking information about relatives who attempted to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta by swimming across the border last week. Among the thousands who attempted the crossing, many remain missing, while families await news amid uncertainty and fear.

The mass movement unfolded as over 60,000 migrants arrived in Ceuta in recent days. Spanish authorities reported 72 fatalities during the crossing. However, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) has suggested that the death toll could be closer to 130, with dozens still unaccounted for.

Among those awaiting information was Abdellatif, a 27-year-old agricultural worker from Moulay Bousselham, approximately 135 kilometers from Fnideq. His 17-year-old brother swam toward Ceuta with two friends but suffered a muscle injury during the attempt, leading to their separation. While his brother’s friends have returned, Abdellatif remains uncertain about his sibling’s fate. He voiced frustration over what he described as a lack of government response, calling for increased awareness efforts on the dangers of irregular migration and the spread of misinformation on social media that may have encouraged the crossing.

At the border itself, family members showed up with photographs and held anxious conversations with migrants who had been returned to Fnideq. One mother, Rachida Mamahk, traveled from Fez, some 200 kilometers away, in search of news about her 23-year-old son, Zouhair, who reportedly called her from Ceuta on July 30 but had not been heard from since. She pleaded for Moroccan authorities and King Mohammed VI to intervene, emphasizing her son’s aspirations for a better life after learning German and hoping to relocate to Germany.

Others expressed similar concerns. Mohammed, 27, a plumber, sought information on two cousins aged 18 and 22 who successfully crossed into Ceuta. While he said they were initially safe, he noted tensions in the enclave, with groups reportedly chasing migrants. After advising them to seek official repatriation, he has since lost contact and is actively searching for them. His family, which owns agricultural land and is relatively well off, struggles to understand why the young men undertook the perilous journey.

The recent surge in crossings and resulting casualties has highlighted ongoing challenges at the Ceuta border fence, as young Moroccans take great risks hoping for better opportunities in Europe. Families on both sides of the border continue to grapple with the human cost and uncertainty surrounding these migration attempts.