At least 72 people have died after a massive surge of migrants from Morocco attempted to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, with five more bodies recovered Sunday.

More than 50,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta by land and sea, though most were quickly returned to Morocco.

Many migrants reportedly drowned or were crushed while trying to scale border barriers, and more than 1,000 people required medical treatment.

Moroccan authorities disputed the death toll, reporting only 11 fatalities while continuing to verify other reports, Reuters has reported.

Both Spain and Morocco blamed misinformation and human trafficking networks for fueling the unprecedented migration surge.