At least 18 migrants died Thursday and overnight while attempting to reach the Spanish territory of Ceuta after thousands breached the border with Morocco. Spain's state broadcaster RTVE showed images of burned cars on the Moroccan side of the border following reported clashes.
Rachid Sbihi, head of a local workers association representing Civil Guard officers, described the situation as a "serious humanitarian crisis." He stated that thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were left sleeping in parks and on sidewalks, while others roamed the streets aimlessly. "People are still entering. The reinforcements that have arrived are only helping the injured and other humanitarian efforts. It’s chaotic," Sbihi said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was expected to visit Ceuta on Friday morning, accompanied by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. Sbihi confirmed that many of the deceased drowned, while others died in a stampede to cross a breakwater fence at Tarajal beach, an urban beach near a border checkpoint with Morocco.
Video footage from Thursday depicted large crowds, primarily Moroccans, moving onto local roads from the breakwaters. The groups included many young men, as well as families with women and children. Some individuals shouted "Viva España!" to a freelance photographer for The Associated Press. Late Thursday into Friday, the photographer observed people gathered on the Moroccan side attempting to cross into Ceuta, and others walking from Ceuta toward Morocco.
Moroccan authorities have not issued public statements regarding the crossings, and the country's Interior Ministry has not responded to requests for comment. The specific cause for the surge in crossings remains unclear.
Spain serves as a primary entry point into Europe for migrants seeking economic opportunities or fleeing violence in their home countries. To reach Ceuta, located on the North African coast, migrants often swim approximately 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, or attempt a shorter crossing from the nearby town of Belyounech.
The heightened activity at the border follows a rise in migrants attempting to reach the small exclave, predominantly by swimming, on Wednesday. The situation has had repercussions in Italy, with Premier Giorgia Meloni threatening to suspend Italy’s open-border Schengen agreement with Spain to "defend our borders and ensure the safety of our citizens."
Ceuta authorities had previously suggested the surge was linked to a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that prevented the immediate deportation of migrants arriving by sea without due process. However, this ruling does not apply to those entering Spain by land, such as by climbing the border fence. Some activists in Morocco have expressed skepticism about this explanation, arguing that most migrants would not be aware of such legal decisions.
Juan Jesús Vivas, the head of Ceuta’s regional government, had requested the national government declare a state of emergency due to national security concerns. He called for increased police presence and the deployment of the army along the border to "guarantee the inviolability of the frontier and citizen safety." Vivas had warned on Wednesday that migrant reception centers were already overwhelmed, with hundreds sleeping on the streets.
Spain's Interior Ministry, which monitors irregular migration, has not confirmed the number of migrants who have arrived in Ceuta in recent days. The ministry stated that government agencies are "coordinating to respond with speed and efficacy to the situation in Ceuta," but legislation for declaring national emergencies does not classify migration flows as a national security risk.
Ceuta, a Spanish possession since 1580, is situated on a historical isthmus. Its population comprises Christians and Muslims, Spanish and Moroccan residents, and day workers who live in relative harmony behind a border fence that many migrants from across Africa attempt to cross in pursuit of a better life in Europe.