Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta is counting the cost of one of the largest migrant surges in its history, with the death toll climbing to at least 72 after five more bodies washed ashore on Sunday. The crisis, which saw roughly 60,000 people cross from Morocco in just days, has triggered a political firestorm across the European Union and prompted emergency measures from Madrid. Main Developments Spanish authorities confirmed the rising toll on Sunday, with the government's representative in Ceuta, Miguel Angel Perez, telling reporters that the situation had improved but that more work was needed to restore normality. The Spanish news agency EFE reported that the number of dead is expected to increase further as search operations continue. More than 1,000 people have required medical treatment since the surge began on Thursday, according to Spanish health services. The causes of death vary: some migrants drowned, while others were crushed while attempting to scale a breakwater and the border fence. Read also: FIFA leadership crisis: Who could challenge Infantino's reign? The Civil Guard has started the delicate process of identifying the 72 bodies recovered so far. Carlos Atuchi, an official with the Civil Guard's forensic science department, said fingerprint and DNA collection would be completed by the end of next week at the latest. While more than 48,000 of those who crossed have already returned to Morocco within 48 hours, the scale of the influx has sparked a coordinated response from Brussels. Twenty-two EU member states have called for joint border action, and Italy has suspended passport-free Schengen travel with Spain in a rare move of intra-bloc friction. Spanish authorities have also installed a 500-metre floating barrier off Ceuta's coast, reinforcing police and army patrols along the border. The measures aim to deter further attempts, but the immediate humanitarian toll remains the focus. Background Ceuta and its sister enclave Melilla form the European Union's only land border with Africa, making them perennial flashpoints for migration. The journey to Ceuta often involves a perilous swim of about 5 kilometres from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, while others depart from Belyounech, where the crossing is shorter. Morocco's Interior Ministry attributed the mass crossings to a combination of misinformation on social media, human trafficking networks, and a misinterpretation of a Spanish court ruling that banned immediate returns of migrants intercepted at sea. Rabat confirmed 11 deaths, mostly by drowning, and said it was fact-checking reports from the Spanish side. Ceuta's leader, Juan Jesus Vivas, told the El Pais newspaper that the city's morgue had received 88 corpses, including victims of earlier, smaller attempts over the past two weeks involving hazardous night-time swims. He noted that Moroccan authorities were also recovering bodies from the sea, though no official data was available. Spain has historically taken a more open stance on migration than many EU peers, recently launching a programme to grant residency to more than half a million undocumented people. Madrid has rejected suggestions that this scheme encouraged the rush, stressing that those who entered Ceuta irregularly cannot travel onward to mainland Spain or the Schengen zone. Why It Matters The crisis exposes the fragility of Europe's southern border and the human cost of irregular migration. For the EU, the surge tests the bloc's unity, as 22 member states demand coordinated action while Italy's suspension of Schengen with Spain signals a potential unraveling of border-free travel. For migrants, the deaths underscore the desperation driving people to risk their lives. Karima Abenaz, a French national with family in Morocco, voiced the anguish in Ceuta: "It pains me deeply that young people are dying at sea. It's not right that, in the year 2026, women with children as young as two months old should be crossing the sea only to die." The incident also strains Spain-Morocco relations, with Rabat pointing to misinformation and Madrid calling for coordinated border management. The floating barrier and increased patrols signal a hardening of enforcement, but they do not address the root causes of migration that push people toward Europe. What's Next Spanish authorities expect the death toll to rise as search efforts continue along Ceuta's coastline. The Civil Guard's identification process, including fingerprint and DNA collection, is slated for completion by the end of next week, which may clarify the number of victims and their origins. The EU's 22 member states calling for coordinated action will likely push for a unified border strategy in upcoming meetings, though concrete steps remain unclear. Italy's Schengen suspension with Spain adds urgency to diplomatic discussions. Ceuta's leader has called for more to be done to re-establish normality, hinting at ongoing security and humanitarian operations. Whether the floatin