The death toll from the migrant rush into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco has reached at least 72 after five more bodies were found along the coast.
More than 50,000 people crossed into Ceuta by land and sea in an unprecedented surge that began on Thursday at one of the EU's two land borders with Africa, prompting alarm across the bloc. More than 48,000 people returned to Morocco within 48 hours and more returned over the weekend, Spanish authorities said.
The Spanish government representative in Ceuta, Miguel Angel Perez, told reporters on Sunday that, in addition to the 72 fatalities, more than 1,000 people had been treated by health services. The situation in the city had improved markedly, he said, but more needs to be done to re-establish normality.
Some migrants drowned and others were crushed while trying to climb a breakwater and a border fence. Many had been encouraged to migrate by social media rumours.
-
Troops escort migrants on Spain's enclave of Ceuta, situated on the northern shores of Morocco's Mediterranean coast. Reuters -
Authorities said about 50,000 people crossed into Ceuta by land and sea from July 30, in an unprecedented surge. Reuters -
Spanish soldiers question a migrant. Reuters -
The mass crossing prompted concern across the EU, and 22 member states wrote a letter asking for co-ordinated action to protect external borders and other measures. Reuters -
Locals rally against a far-right protest, organised by Nucleo Nacional and other far-right collectives, in Ceuta. Getty Images -
Spanish security personnel in Ceuta escort migrants to the border with Morocco, after thousands crossed into the enclave. Reuters -
Migrants are led to the border between Spanish territory and Morocco. Reuters -
Spanish soldiers help an injured migrant on a beach. Reuters -
Migrants prepare to jump into the Spanish territory of Melilla from the Moroccan side of the border fence. EPA -
A Spanish Guardia Civil boat off the coast of Ceuta. Reuters -
A boy crosses back to Morocco through a fence next to Spanish military personnel. Reuters -
Migrants walk back to Morocco from Ceuta. Reuters -
People gather on a hill near Fnideq, in Morocco, as thousands of migrants cross the border into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. AFP -
Spanish soldiers at the Tarajal border crossing in Ceuta after violent clashes along the perimeter. EPA -
People gather along the border fence near Fnideq. AFP -
Thousands of migrants crossed overnight by land and sea. AFP -
People gather next to an overturned police vehicle at the site of clashes near Fnideq. AFP -
Migrants arrive in Spanish territory in North Africa after swimming across the Ceuta border from Morocco. Reuters -
Migrants clamber on to rocks near the border fence in Ceuta. Reuters -
Migrants travel along the coast on foot as they attempt to cross into the North African enclave from Morocco. Reuters -
A member of Spain's Civil Guard keeps watch as migrants enter Ceuta. Reuters
“It pains me deeply that young people are dying at sea,” said Karima Abenaz, a French national in Ceuta with family in Morocco. “It’s not right that, in the year 2026, women with children as young as two months old should be crossing the sea only to die.
“In Morocco, there’s food, there’s everything we need. If we don’t have a decent job, we should go on strike and demand our rights from the government. We shouldn’t be dying at sea, it’s not right.”
Authorities have reinforced police and army patrols and on Saturday installed a 500-metre floating barrier off Ceuta. Twenty-two EU member states wrote a letter asking for co-ordinated action to protect external borders and other measures after the incident. Italy suspended passport-free Schengen travel arrangements with Spain for one month.
Spain has adopted a more open stance on migrants than most other EU countries, introducing a programme to grant residency to more than half a million undocumented people.
It has rejected suggestions that the scheme encouraged the rush into Ceuta, saying that those who entered Ceuta irregularly could not travel on to mainland Spain or elsewhere in the Schengen zone.
