Hundreds of people have gathered in the Moroccan town of Fnideq, close to the border with the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, desperately seeking information about missing loved ones. They are showing photographs of relatives, hoping to find them among those being returned from Ceuta.

The gathering highlights the ongoing human toll following a large-scale influx of people into Ceuta last week. The town, a Spanish territory in North Africa, saw an extraordinary surge of individuals crossing its border.

As EU interior ministers convened an emergency video conference on Tuesday to address the situation, the focus on the Moroccan side of the border shifted to the rising number of fatalities. Local officials report at least 88 deaths in Ceuta and an additional 11 in Morocco, with many still unaccounted for.

One woman, Hadijja, who traveled from Tangier, has been waiting at the border since Saturday, searching for her 23-year-old son. She has not heard from him and her phone calls go unanswered, leading her to believe he was among those who attempted the crossing.

Spain's interior minister stated on Tuesday that an estimated 70,000 individuals who arrived in Ceuta late last week have since been returned to Morocco. This return process has been ongoing in recent days.

The mass crossing appears to have been influenced by social media. Reports indicate that posts on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp suggested Morocco was facilitating border crossings, prompting many to travel to Fnideq. They arrived by various means, including on foot, in packed buses, and cars, joining the surge towards Spain.

Spanish authorities have been working closely with Moroccan officials to manage the situation and facilitate returns. The events have placed significant strain on border resources and highlighted complex migration dynamics between North Africa and Europe.

The anxious wait for families in Fnideq underscores the personal tragedies unfolding amidst the geopolitical challenges of irregular migration. Unresolved questions remain about the exact number of missing individuals and the circumstances surrounding their disappearances.