Morocco's Interior Ministry said 10 of the victims drowned while another died after falling from a rocky area during the chaotic crossings that unfolded between Wednesday and Friday.

The ministry said around 40,000 attempts were made to enter Ceuta illegally over the three-day period, while another 1,135 people tried to cross into the nearby Spanish enclave of Melilla but were immediately returned to Morocco.

Spain, however, says more than 60,000 migrants reached Ceuta during the surge, although most have since gone back to Morocco. Spanish authorities estimate that at least 72 people lost their lives during the crossings, highlighting a major gap between the two countries' casualty figures.

Moroccan officials said they are working with Spain to verify the death toll and identify bodies recovered on Spanish territory.

The unprecedented migrant influx triggered diplomatic tensions within the European Union, with several member states criticizing Spain's handling of migration at its external border.

The Interior Ministry blamed the crisis on the "malicious exploitation" of social media and the "spread of misleading information," saying false claims encouraged thousands to attempt the dangerous journey.

It also pointed to what it described as "misinterpretations of legal provisions," referring to a July 8 ruling by Spain's Supreme Court that migrants arriving by sea should not be returned as quickly as those entering by other routes.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) disputed the official figures, saying there were "nearly 130 victims" and that dozens of people remain missing.

Moroccan prosecutors have opened an official investigation into the deadly crossings as authorities seek to establish the full circumstances of the tragedy and determine the final death toll.