The death toll following a mass attempt by migrants to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has reached 90, La Sexta reports.

According to local authorities, the tragedy has become the largest humanitarian crisis the enclave has faced, amid a sharp rise in tensions on the border between Spain and Morocco.

Officials say most of those who died were trying to cross the border amid a massive crowd. Many were injured in the crush and clashes that broke out during the attempted breach of the border barriers.

Ceuta, together with the other Spanish enclave of Melilla on the North African coast, remains one of the main migration routes into Europe. Surrounded by Morocco, these territories are the European Union’s only land borders on the African continent.

In recent years, attempts at mass border crossings have repeatedly led to crises. Migrants from sub-Saharan African countries, as well as from other regions, try to enter Ceuta through the border fences or by sea, hoping then to continue on to mainland Spain and other EU countries.

After the latest tragedy, local authorities called on Madrid to increase support for the enclave and to step up cooperation with Morocco to control migration flows. The Spanish government has previously stated on multiple occasions that protecting the EU’s external borders requires coordination with North African partners.

The situation in Ceuta remains tense amid ongoing migratory pressure on Europe’s southern borders. Authorities warn that without joint measures by Spain, the EU, and the migrants’ countries of origin, similar crises could happen again.