Dreams of Europe end in tragedy for three Moroccans at Ceuta border

Ayoub Akbili, a 31-year-old physics graduate, worked at a car parts factory in Tangier, earning roughly $421 a month. He wanted a better job to pay for his mother's hernia surgery. Hamza Haibouri, a 28-year-old second-division footballer, dreamed of a professional career in Europe. Abdelouahed Iken, a 19-year-old student from Agadir, was chasing the life a friend showcased on Facebook from Italy.

All three died last month attempting to reach Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on Morocco's northern coast. They were part of a surge of over 70,000 people who, spurred by rumors that the border was open, swam or climbed over a breakwater to reach Spanish territory. Official figures put the death toll at 90, though rights groups say the number is far higher. Many families are still waiting to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones.

Akbili had never considered crossing illegally until he saw social media posts about the open border. He persuaded his roommate, Abdelhakim Saadaoui, to accompany him. They paid a driver $129 to reach the frontier. Saadaoui turned back amid the chaos of tear gas and stun grenades, but Akbili pressed on. He stopped answering his phone shortly after. A Moroccan Interior Ministry document says Akbili died of severe head trauma, classified as an unnatural death. His family was told he fell from a cliff, but a cousin, Zakaria, questions this, noting his phone and wallet were intact.

Haibouri, who played for Kenitra Athletic Club, was on holiday in Martil when he saw people heading to Ceuta and joined them. His childhood friend, Bilal Ratib, said Haibouri had visited France as a child and always wanted to return for a better life and better football opportunities. He had not played at all this year and his income, entirely from soccer, had dried up.

Iken, who could not swim, bought a life jacket for the crossing. Friends who returned told his family they saw him struggling in the water before he drowned. His family learned of his death from a Facebook post.

For many Moroccans, Europe represents opportunity. Remittances from Moroccans abroad reached $6.6 billion in the first half of this year, over 3% of the country's GDP. The families of the dead are now facing the agonizing wait for repatriation. They have been asked to pay around 2,500 euros to bring the bodies home. Ceuta's government says the paperwork is complete, but Morocco has not accepted it. The Moroccan government did not respond to questions about the delay or who will cover the costs.

Haibouri's sister has given a DNA sample to confirm his identity. Authorities returned his ID and driver's license but did not allow her to see his body. Ratib said it could take 20 days or more for the body to be returned. "You can't imagine the families' suffering," he said. The Trade Union Network for Migration in Morocco has called on both governments to cover the repatriation costs.

Saadaoui, Akbili's roommate, has moved in with co-workers, unable to bear living without him. He recalls Akbili's last words at the border: "I will never come back."