An estimated 60,000 migrants have crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco within the last two days, according to Mayor-President Juan Jesús Vivas. At least 57 people have lost their lives, many by drowning and others in a stampede at the Tarajal beach breakwater fence, an urban beach near a Spanish-Moroccan border checkpoint.
Footage shared on X shows local residents shouting from a rooftop as migrants arrive by sea. Spain has deployed the army to help handle the situation.
Absolute chaos
Rachid Sbihi, head of the Spanish Civil Guard in Ceuta, painted a picture of utter chaos. "The situation is absolute chaos," he said, adding: "It's not possible to give precise numbers, but there are thousands of migrants crossing." He warned that the border had "totally collapsed" and expressed fears of a "serious humanitarian crisis."
Sbihi reported that thousands of migrants are sleeping on pavements and roaming the streets, with some unaccompanied minors among them, according to the local workers' association leader.
Government response
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Ceuta on Friday and confirmed that federal resources were being mobilised. His strategy involves deploying units to return migrants to Morocco. By Friday afternoon, around 25,000 migrants had already begun the journey back, according to the Spanish Ministry of Interior.
Trafficking mafias and EU reaction
Sánchez suggested the surge could result from mob violence in Morocco. "What has emerged from our talks with Moroccan authorities is that trafficking mafias took a self-serving interpretation of a Supreme Court ruling," he said, alleging the interpretation had "spread like wildfire in recent hours."
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen called the situation "unacceptable". She wrote online: "We cannot allow anyone to come to our [European] Union without abiding by our rules. Dangerous crossings must stop immediately. Smuggling networks must be dismantled. And [migrant] returns must be swift, as our rules allow."
