Faten Ben Amar El Azizi, a rising star of Moroccan women's football, dies attempting to reach Ceuta

Moroccan young footballer Faten Ben Amar El Azizi, a rising star in Moroccan women's football, died attempting to swim across the border to Ceuta. Her club, Maghreb Atlético Tetuán (MAT), confirmed her disappearance in a statement released on August 2, 2026. According to Spanish authorities, she is among the 67 victims of an unprecedented migration crisis that saw around 60,000 people attempt to cross from Morocco to the Spanish enclave.

In its message, MAT expressed the deep sorrow caused by this loss. "Faten was not seeking glory or adventure, but a better life and a future she believed she could find on the other side of the border," the club stated. It added that her dream "ended before it even began." She simply wanted to "open a new door" to her future. Her journey "tragically ended before reaching its destination after losing her life attempting to reach Ceuta." This tragedy is part of an exceptional migration crisis marked by a massive attempt to cross the border between Morocco and Ceuta. According to official Spanish figures, at least 67 people have died in these attempts. Local media, however, report at least 17 additional deaths on the Moroccan side, mostly drownings during crossings between Fnideq (Castillejos) and Ceuta. The bodies of some victims have been found in the Spanish city. As the border gradually returns to normal, families continue to visit the area in search of news about their loved ones, most of them young people missing for several days. MAT highlighted the "exorbitant price" paid by these young people in their attempts at irregular migration, turning "dreams into nightmares" and "joy into tears." No Moroccan institution has provided exact figures on the number of victims, injuries, or missing persons on its territory. Local media report that Moroccan authorities are maintaining "absolute silence" regarding the true scale of the crisis. Only a few local outlets mention partial tolls, without official confirmation. This situation contrasts with the scale of crossing attempts, which have involved thousands of people in recent days. Families of the missing, often young, are desperately awaiting answers in a climate of uncertainty and grief.