The incident happened in the morning when around 2,000 migrants crossing from Morocco tried to attack and break through the Melilla border fence. Security forces from both nations managed to stop the crowd. But they resulted in violent fighting with the migrants lasting for two hours. Spanish and Moroccan officials said that migrants had assaulted their border guards with weapons and they had to fight back in self-defense. According to authorities, fleeing migrants trampled over each other causing a human stampede and killing several people. Several other migrants fell from the fence onto the ground. At least 18 migrants were killed, five of them died during the crossing attempt and thirteen of them died from their injuries in the hospital. Morocco said that at least 63 other migrants had injuries and that 140 Moroccan officers had been hurt, five seriously, and 49 were lightly injured. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights said that 29 migrants had been killed, while 133 people managed to cross the fence. A number of from Spain to Morocco took place. An called Walking Borders estimated at least 37 killed. NGOs also reported that two Moroccan gendarmes were killed.