According to officials’ estimates, about 49,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish North African territory of Ceuta from Morocco over the past 24 hours by land and sea. At least 24 people died attempting to reach the territory, some of whom were swimming to cross into Spain.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described the situation as an “attack” and stated that the government is working to return all illegal migrants to Morocco “as soon as possible”. Several European leaders expressed concern, with some pledging to strengthen border controls.
Legal aspects and historical context
This incident follows a ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court earlier this month that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla — another Spanish enclave — cannot be immediately returned to Morocco.
Ceuta, located on the northern coast of Morocco, is separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar and has long been a hub for migrants seeking to reach Europe. Local officials had appealed to Madrid for assistance after a recent surge in border crossing attempts, but chaotic scenes were observed on Thursday as border controls appeared to be breached. Videos and images taken on Thursday show thousands of people swimming to the city, while local media reported that crossings continued into Friday.
Scale of the crisis and Spain’s response
The staggering estimate by Spanish officials suggests that the number of migrants who entered Ceuta in the last day could be more than half of the city’s population, which, according to the latest local data, is around 83,600 people.
Spain has deployed its armed forces to enhance security in Ceuta and its sister city Melilla, where between 300 and 400 border crossings were also recorded overnight.
Source: BBC
