Spain has fully deployed a floating sea barrier along the maritime border of its North African enclave of Ceuta as authorities continue to tighten border controls following a massive migrant influx from Morocco, with the official death toll rising to 72.

The floating barrier, installed off Ceuta’s Tarajal beach, is now fully operational. The measure is designed to prevent irregular sea crossings after tens of thousands of migrants entered the enclave in recent days, many by swimming across the border.

Spanish authorities confirmed on Sunday that the official death toll linked to the crisis has risen to 72. Meanwhile, the regional government of Ceuta said 88 bodies are currently being held in the city’s morgue. Local authorities said some of the bodies were recovered from the sea more than two weeks after the migrant surge, and the identification process is still underway.

Although the large-scale arrivals have subsided, Ceuta has yet to return to normal. Police and military personnel continued security operations across the city on Sunday, detaining migrants found on the streets. Those apprehended were taken to police stations for identification before deportation procedures were initiated.

The migrant surge has become one of the most serious border crises in Spain’s recent history, prompting emergency measures by the Spanish government and renewed debate across Europe over migration management and the protection of the European Union’s external borders.