Play store
Tens of thousands of migrants who crossed into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta have voluntarily returned to Morocco, easing pressure on the territory a day after one of the largest mass border crossings in recent years triggered a humanitarian and security crisis.
Spanish authorities said around 50,000 people crossed into Ceuta from Morocco since Thursday. By Friday evening, about 48,300 had voluntarily returned, while hundreds more were continuing to leave the enclave.
Earlier, Ceuta regional president Juan Jesús Vivas estimated that as many as 60,000 migrants had entered the territory, a figure equivalent to about 70 per cent of the enclave’s population.
The mass influx left at least 57 migrants dead, according to officials, with many drowning during the dangerous sea crossing while others were killed in a stampede near the Tarajal border crossing.
Thousands of migrants swam several kilometres to reach the Spanish territory, while others attempted to cross via the border breakwater. Spanish and Moroccan security forces used water cannons, tear gas and warning shots in an effort to control the situation.
Spain deployed additional police and military personnel to restore order in Ceuta, while Moroccan security forces clashed with migrants attempting to cross the border.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the enclave on Friday, describing the mass crossing as “a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity.”
He blamed human trafficking networks for encouraging migrants to undertake the dangerous journey, saying smugglers had exploited a recent ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court on the treatment of migrants intercepted at sea.
The court ruled earlier this month that migrants attempting to reach Ceuta or the neighbouring Spanish enclave of Melilla by sea cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.
Spanish authorities believe criminal smuggling networks misrepresented the ruling, prompting thousands of people to attempt the crossing within a short period.
The humanitarian situation deteriorated rapidly as thousands of migrants, including many unaccompanied children, were left sleeping in parks, public spaces and streets after entering the territory.
The crisis also triggered political tensions across Europe. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the scenes in Ceuta as “unacceptable” and called for stronger action against human smuggling networks and faster returns of irregular migrants.
Italy temporarily reinstated border controls for travellers arriving from Spain under the Schengen framework, while France announced tighter checks along its border with Spain.
Moroccan authorities did not comment on the number of migrants who crossed into Ceuta but said they remained committed to promoting legal, orderly and safe migration.
Attempts to enter Spain’s other North African enclave, Melilla, also continued, with reports of clashes between migrants and security forces on the Moroccan side of the border.
Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s only land borders with Africa, have long served as key entry points for migrants seeking to reach Europe and remain a recurring source of diplomatic tension between Spain and Morocco.