Around 100 people died during last week's mass migrant crossing into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta, the city's leader Juan Jesus Vivas said on Thursday.
Speaking during a meeting of the European Parliament, Vivas said between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remain in Ceuta following the unprecedented border rush.
The comments mark one of the highest official estimates of the death toll linked to the crossing, which triggered a humanitarian and political crisis along the Spain-Morocco border.
EU calls for stronger border management
European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said the Ceuta crisis exposed the European Union's vulnerability when border security depends heavily on cooperation with neighbouring countries.
"One very important reminder from Ceuta is that to have control, we must cooperate with our neighbours, of course, but as long as control depends on the goodwill of one neighbouring state, we remain vulnerable," Brunner told the parliamentary meeting.
The European Commission has been working with Spain and other member states to coordinate a response to the migration crisis and strengthen the bloc's external border management.
The surge into Ceuta has renewed debate within the EU over migration policy, border security and cooperation with neighbouring countries in North Africa.
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