Spain's military began installing a 1,600-foot floating barrier off the coast of Ceuta on Saturday in an effort to control the influx of migrants from Morocco, as the death toll from the crisis reached 67. An estimated 50,000 migrants entered the Spanish enclave in North Africa, overwhelming authorities. Some migrants drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, while others died in a crush at a border checkpoint, prompting Spain to declare a national emergency and mobilize law enforcement to return thousands of people across the border.
The pneumatic barrier, composed of a line of secured buoys with a surface height of 30 to 70 centimeters, was installed between Tarajal Beach in Ceuta and Morocco. According to Spain's Interior Ministry, at least 48,000 migrants had volunteered to return to Morocco by Saturday. They were transported towards the border via buses and police vehicles, though crossing attempts were reportedly ongoing despite the military presence.
Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas stated that while returns have begun, the situation in Ceuta has not yet returned to normal, with several thousand people still needing to be returned and a prevailing climate of unease. Separately, at least one Moroccan national was arrested on Saturday for allegedly stabbing another migrant during a street brawl in front of a Ceuta school. Clashes were also reported between Moroccan security forces and migrants attempting to enter the city of Melilla, located east of Ceuta. Moroccan authorities reported arresting at least 70 individuals since the surge began.
The surge in migrants is attributed to individuals seeking to escape Morocco's social and economic crisis. Ceuta and Melilla are the European Union's only land borders with Africa.
U.S. President Donald Trump referenced the events in Ceuta during a Cabinet meeting, calling it an "invasion" and warning of similar scenarios in the United States if Republicans were not elected in the upcoming midterm elections. He attributed Spain's border crisis to "weak law, bad management" and liberal migration policies.