A physics graduate, a teen who couldn't swim: They died in the Ceuta migrant surge

In a tragic attempt to reach Europe, dozens of Moroccans died trying to cross into Spain

CASABLANCA, Morocco -- Ayoub Akbili needed money for his mother’s surgery. Hamza Haibouri wanted a shot at a professional soccer career. Abdelouahed Iken was chasing the glossy life a friend posted about on Facebook from Italy.

So when they heard rumors that Morocco’s border with Spain was open, they decided to join the rush to try to reach Europe.

All three died attempting to cross, becoming victims of the deadliest migration crisis between Morocco and Spain.

Fueled by misinformation , poverty and lack of opportunities, more than 70,000 would-be migrants from Morocco and beyond swam or climbed over a breakwater last month to try to reach Ceuta, a Spanish exclave on the North African coast. At least 90 people died attempting to cross the border, according to official figures; rights groups reported a much higher toll. Many families still haven’t been able to retrieve the bodies.

Nearly all the survivors have returned to Morocco, and both countries have intensified security measures . Moroccan and Spanish authorities blamed social media rumors and human smuggling networks for the surge, while migrants cited unemployment and low wages as major factors.

Akbili, 31, lived in Tangier, about an hour from the coastal Moroccan town of Fnideq. Migration had been on his mind for some time, but friends and family said he had never considered crossing illegally.

He held a college degree in physics, but couldn't find a job in his field and worked at a car parts factory. He earned about $421 a month, slightly above the median salary in the North African country.

Buoyed by ambitions to become a regional hub for the auto industry, Morocco’s economy is expected to grow by 4.5% this year. But policymakers face a persistent challenge: turning that growth into jobs that offer higher wages.

Akbili was working the 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. shift when he saw Facebook posts about people crossing into Ceuta. He wanted to try his luck in hopes of finding a job that could help his mother pay for hernia surgery.

“His mind changed completely. He went from someone who wasn’t thinking about illegal migration to wanting to go by all means,” Abdelhakim Saadaoui, a relative and Akbili’s apartment mate, told The Associated Press.

Akbili persuaded Saadaoui to go with him. On July 31, they paid a driver $129 to take them near the border with Ceuta — the equivalent of two months’ rent.

When they arrived, Saadaoui said, there was complete chaos. From a distance, the crowds looked like ants, he said, as streets filled with people heading toward the frontier. Police fired stun grenades and tear gas in an attempt to disperse them, he said.

Saadaoui decided not to continue. Akbili went on. The two remained in contact by phone.