Spain's prime minister visits Ceuta as dozens die in mass migrant crossing

At least 34 migrants died after attempting to breach the border between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, authorities said, and roughly 60,000 people entered the territory by land and sea in the previous 24 hours. Regional president Juan Jesus Vivas confirmed the death toll but did not specify the causes.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez travelled to Ceuta on Friday and announced that the government was mobilising all available resources. He described the crossings as a “violation” of Spanish territorial sovereignty and said authorities were accelerating the repatriation of recent arrivals. Spain’s Interior Ministry reported that about 25,000 people had been returned to Morocco that day.

Rachid Sbihi, head of a local workers’ association representing Civil Guard officers, called the situation a “serious humanitarian crisis”, noting that thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were sleeping on sidewalks. He said many of the deceased drowned, while others were killed in a stampede at the breakwater fence on Tarajal beach.

Moroccan authorities used water-cannon trucks at the gates and pushed crowds back, and the charred remains of a bus and several cars were seen near the clashes. Video footage showed large groups, mainly young men but also families with women and children, walking along the breakwaters onto local roads.

Ceuta and the nearby enclave of Melilla constitute the European Union’s only land border with Africa and frequently experience surges of attempted crossings. Migrants often swim from the Moroccan towns of Fnideq or Belyounech to reach Spanish territory.

Ceuta officials linked the recent surge to a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that barred immediate return of migrants who arrive by sea without due process, though the decision does not apply to land entries. Sanchez said trafficking networks misinterpreted the ruling and spread rumors that encouraged the crossings.

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the images from Ceuta as “unacceptable” and urged an end to dangerous crossings and swift returns. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed Spain’s stance against undocumented migrants, and French officials said they were ready to assist, including through Frontex. France also announced tighter controls at its border with Spain.

The crisis prompted Italy’s premier to threaten a suspension of the Schengen arrangement with Spain, while Ceuta’s regional president called for a national emergency declaration and deployment of additional police and army forces. Spain’s Interior Ministry rejected the emergency request, stating that migration crises do not fall under that category, but pledged further resources.