At least 18 migrants have died while attempting to enter Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, following a massive rush by thousands seeking to cross into the Spanish territory.
Ceuta, an autonomous Spanish city on the northern coast of Africa, witnessed an unprecedented surge in migrant arrivals as thousands attempted to reach the enclave, with many swimming across from Morocco.
A police source told AFP on Friday that authorities were unable to determine the exact number of migrants who successfully entered Ceuta due to the scale of the overnight crossings.
“There was a steady stream of people all night long,” the source said, adding that while the pace of arrivals slowed compared with daytime movements, migrants continued crossing throughout the night and into Friday morning.
The wave of attempted crossings began on Wednesday, with most migrants trying to reach Ceuta by sea. Footage from Thursday showed large crowds, mainly Moroccans, moving along the breakwaters at Tarajal beach and nearby roads. The groups included young men, women and children.
Rachid Sbihi, head of the local workers’ association representing Civil Guard officers, said most of the 18 victims drowned during the crossing, while others died in a stampede as migrants attempted to force their way through the breakwater fence at Tarajal beach.
The cause of the sudden surge remains unclear. However, Spain’s Interior Ministry estimated that about 49,000 migrants entered Ceuta within 24 hours through both sea and land routes from Morocco.
In response, the Spanish government announced the deployment of military personnel to reinforce the Civil Guard and strengthen security in Ceuta. Images released after the announcement showed Spanish soldiers and armoured vehicles patrolling the border areas.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to visit Ceuta alongside Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska to assess the situation.
Ceuta, along with the Spanish enclave of Melilla, has long served as one of the main entry points for migrants seeking to reach Europe from Africa.
