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Around 49,000 migrants crossed into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco by land and sea over the past 24 hours, Spanish officials said, marking one of the largest sudden influxes of migrants into the territory in recent years.
Thousands of people were seen swimming into Ceuta on Thursday, while local media reported that crossings continued overnight. Officials said at least 18 people have died in recent days while attempting the dangerous journey.
The surge came weeks after Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants intercepted at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or the Spanish enclave of Melilla cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.
Ceuta, located on Morocco’s northern coast across the Strait of Gibraltar from mainland Spain, is one of the European Union’s only land borders with Africa and has long been a key entry point for migrants seeking to reach Europe.
The number of arrivals in just 24 hours is estimated to be more than half of Ceuta’s population of about 83,600, placing enormous pressure on local authorities and public services.
Spain has deployed troops to reinforce security in Ceuta and Melilla, where authorities also reported between 300 and 400 attempted crossings overnight.
Officials estimate that about 7,000 of those who entered Ceuta are minors. While most of the arrivals were young men, women, children and even infants were also among those crossing the border.
Local authorities had earlier appealed to the central government for additional support following a rise in attempted crossings. However, border controls appeared to collapse as thousands of migrants reached the enclave, many swimming around the border fence or entering by sea.
Spanish authorities said they were working with Morocco to return those who had entered the territory illegally as quickly as possible. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to visit Ceuta to assess the situation.
The latest influx has also fuelled diplomatic tensions. Italy’s Prime Minister described the scenes in Ceuta as “shocking” and warned that uncontrolled migration posed a security challenge for Europe. She also suggested Italy could consider suspending aspects of the Schengen free movement system in relation to Spain, although it remains unclear how such a move could be implemented.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares criticised the remarks, saying Spain expected “European solidarity, not partisan demagoguery” from its partners. He also summoned the Italian ambassador to Madrid over the comments.
The last major surge in Ceuta occurred in 2021, when around 8,000 migrants crossed into the enclave during a diplomatic dispute between Spain and Morocco over Western Sahara. Source: BBC News
