Ceuta begins burials for migrants who died attempting to cross into the Spanish territory

CEUTA, Spain (AP) — Against the murmur of prayers, body bags were lowered into graves marked only with numbers. Gravediggers placed the first four victims in cinderblock plots while a small group of locals watched at a cemetery on the tip of North Africa.

The dead, whose identities are unknown, were among the more than 90 migrants who lost their lives during Spain’s deadliest border crisis three weeks ago. Fueled by misinformation, poverty and a lack of opportunities, more than 72,000 people poured into Ceuta, a Spanish territory that neighbors Morocco.

At a Muslim cemetery in Ceuta, 18 migrants were laid to rest on Friday. An Islamic cleric read prayers and chants praising God while funeral workers worked quickly to lower the white body bags and cover them with soil. More migrants are expected to be buried soon.

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights, a left-leaning nongovernmental organization, called for the burials in Ceuta to be halted until every effort had been made to identify the bodies and repatriate them to Morocco, the country of origin for most of the migrants who made the perilous journey.

Many of those who died drowned or were killed in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier near a border checkpoint.

In a statement, the NGO asked Morocco's foreign ministry to ensure that “the bodies are returned to the families so they can be buried with dignity.”

It called the burials in Ceuta a “new human tragedy,” adding to the “disaster of displacement and missing persons.”

A spokesperson for Ceuta’s city government said last week the paperwork to repatriate the bodies of the deceased was complete, but that Morocco’s government hadn't accepted it.

Morocco’s foreign ministry didn't respond to questions from The Associated Press about the burials that started on Friday in Ceuta or suggestions that Morocco is blocking the repatriation of identified migrant bodies.

While most of those who crossed into Ceuta in late July returned to Morocco almost immediately, local authorities say that up to 10,000 migrants — including women and children — could still be in the small Spanish city, prolonging a humanitarian crisis as authorities and locals struggle to shelter and attend to them. Spain's national government cites a lower figure of around 5,000 people.

Moroccan and Spanish authorities have blamed social media rumors and human smuggling networks for the deadly event, while migrants cited unemployment and low wages as reasons for why they made the journey.

All of those buried on Friday were men, said Said Mohammed, the cemetery’s acting manager. The graves were marked with numbered stones in case families claim the bodies in the future, he said.

Under Islamic custom, a body is placed in a grave facing Mecca, as was the case with the migrants buried in Ceuta. Just across the sea lay mainland Europe — their desired destination.

Suman Naishadham reported from Madrid. Akram Oubachir contributed to this report from Casablanca, Morocco.

Funeral workers prepare to bury the body of a migrant who died while trying to cross from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Sempere)

Funeral workers gather the bodies of migrants who died while trying to cross from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Sempere)

A man, accompanied by funeral workers, prays over bodies of migrants who died while trying to cross from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Sempere)

Funeral workers bury migrants who died while trying to cross from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Sempere)

NEW YORK (AP) — Dylan Cease’s latest no-hit bid featured five walks and a rising pitch count into the seventh inning.

It made Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider’s decision on when to lift his ace a little less agonizing.

Cease lost a no-hit bid with two outs in the seventh inning against the New York Yankees on Saturday when he allowed a clean single to Jazz Chisholm Jr.

On his 106th pitch, Cease gave up a single to right field on a 97.1-mph fastball to put runners at first and second. After allowing the hit, Cease gave up an RBI single to Austin Wells and was lifted by Schneider. Spencer Miles replaced Cease after 111 pitches.

“I’m just trying to throw strikes and execute pitches really,” Cease said. “It’s obviously hard to do things like that and if I give up a hit, then it’s just meant to be I guess.”

Cease threw seven fewer pitches than his July 8 attempt at San Francisco. He lost his no-hit bid when current Yankees’ outfielder Heliot Ramos hit a line drive single to center field for the Giants in the ninth.

After that game, Schneider said he was willing Cease to keep going because he was a “fan of baseball” and because the game occurred shortly before the All-Star break.

“You kind of want to do what’s right for him in the moment,” Schneider said after Toronto’s 4-3 win. “You want to do what’s right for him long term and you want to try to win the game. So I know I’ve said before where I’m kind of a throwback to where if a guy’s got a no-hitter, I’m going to let him roll, but I think it’s important to kind of keep him right there."

Cease was able to no-hit the Yankees into the seventh despite tying a season-high with five walks. He threw 60 pitches for strikes and first-pitch strikes to 15 of 25 hitters while averaging 95.7 mph on his 40 four-seam fastballs and 88 mph on his 36 sliders.

"The walks were weird,” Schneider said. “There were some close misses. Also I think there’s a couple of four-pitch walks in there, but stuff was really good. Stuff was consistent throughout and he used all of his pitches.

Cease stranded a runner at third in the first and second innings by getting strikeouts against Luis García Jr. and Wells. He ended the fifth by getting José Caballero to line into a double play started by shortstop Ernie Clement.

“He’s been doing it pretty much all year,” Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said through a translator.

Cease was attempting to pitch his second career no-hitter and the second in Toronto history. He threw a no-hitter on July 25, 2024, at Washington for San Diego, which was the Padres’ second no-hitter in team history.

“It feels like it’s happening every single time he steps on the mound,” said outfielder Nathan Lukes, who hit the deciding homer in the eighth. “The guy’s unbelievable. It’s special what he’s doing this year.”

It was the second time Cease carried a no-hitter into the seventh at Yankee Stadium. He lost a no-hit bid against the Yankees on May 7, 2025, when he allowed a homer to Cody Bellinger.

Toronto’s only no-hitter was thrown by Dave Stieb on Sept. 2, 1990, in Cleveland. Before Stieb's no-hitter, he reached the ninth inning four times without allowing a hit.

New York has been no-hit eight times. The last instance was a combined no-hitter by Houston’s Cristian Javier, Hector Neris and Ryan Pressly on June 25, 2022, at Yankee Stadium.

“He's tough,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Cease. “When he's on his game, the secondary stuff's really good to go with a heater that you got to respect too.”

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Toronto Blue Jays' Dylan Cease pitches during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease walks to the dugout before the start of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Toronto Blue Jays' Dylan Cease pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)