“From this incident, it is clear that we must do more to further strengthen our borders at critical points,” Ms von der Leyen wrote in a letter to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Calling external border control “a shared European responsibility,” she pressed for “vigilant monitoring and the use of physical barriers where needed.” Spanish authorities said more than 48,000 people returned to Morocco within 48 hours, with additional returns over the weekend. In Ceuta, the Spanish government’s representative, Miguel Angel Perez, told reporters that beyond the 72 fatalities, health services had treated more than 1,000 people. Authorities have stepped up police and army patrols, and a 500-metre floating barrier was installed off Ceuta on Saturday.