At least 18 migrants have died after thousands attempted to reach the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, triggering a major humanitarian and border security crisis.
Ceuta, an autonomous Spanish city on North Africa’s Mediterranean coast, has witnessed an unprecedented surge in migrant arrivals over the past 24 hours.
A police source told AFP on Friday that it was impossible to determine how many people crossed overnight as thousands continued to pour into the enclave.
“There was a steady stream of people all night long,” the source said, adding that although the flow slowed after dark, migrants “continued to arrive overnight and are still arriving” on Friday morning.
Reports of migrants heading for Ceuta, many by swimming across the border, first emerged on Wednesday. By Thursday, video footage showed large crowds—mostly Moroccans—moving around the breakwaters at Tarajal beach and onto local roads. While many were young men, families with women and young children were also among those making the crossing.
According to Rachid Sbihi, head of the local workers’ association representing Civil Guard officers, most of the 18 victims drowned, while others died in a stampede near the breakwater fence at Tarajal beach.
The reason behind the sudden mass movement remains unclear.
Spain’s Interior Ministry estimates that about 49,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta by land and sea within the past 24 hours, making it one of the largest influxes the enclave has experienced.
In response, the Spanish government announced it would deploy the military to assist the Civil Guard in maintaining security across the city.
Images from the border showed Spanish soldiers patrolling the area with armoured vehicles following the deployment.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is also expected to visit Ceuta alongside Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska as authorities work to contain the escalating crisis.
