At least 60 people have reportedly died while attempting to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta after tens of thousands of migrants crossed into the territory from neighbouring Morocco within 24 hours, triggering a humanitarian and political crisis.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the mass influx as “a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity” after the unprecedented surge overwhelmed Ceuta, an enclave with a population of about 85,000 people.
Sánchez, who visited the territory on Friday, said the Spanish government would deploy all available resources to protect residents and restore order.
He blamed the surge on human trafficking networks, which he said had exploited a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling preventing the immediate return of migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Spain’s other North African enclave, Melilla.
“That has spread like wildfire during these last few hours through the networks of mafias that traffic in human beings and has produced an avalanche of the characteristics and dimension that we experienced yesterday,” Sánchez said.
The Prime Minister announced plans to establish a temporary reception centre to facilitate the registration, documentation, screening and expedited removal of migrants without legal grounds to remain in Spain.
He also said the government would install a visible barrier of buoys near Ceuta’s Tarajal beach to clearly mark the maritime border while complying with the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Spain’s Interior Ministry said additional police officers and military personnel had been deployed to the enclave, adding that more than 37,500 migrants had voluntarily returned to Morocco by Friday afternoon.
The crisis has also prompted reactions from other European countries.
Italy announced the temporary suspension of Schengen border-free travel arrangements with Spain for one month, requiring travellers moving between the two countries by air or sea to present passports. Italian authorities also said border controls along the Franco-Italian frontier would be strengthened to prevent irregular migration.
The announcement drew criticism from Spain after Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani suggested Spain’s migrant regularisation policies had encouraged human trafficking.
Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, summoned Italy’s ambassador, describing the remarks as “unbecoming” and accusing Italy of engaging in “partisan demagoguery.”
The European Commission later clarified that Ceuta and Melilla operate under special Schengen arrangements that prevent migrants from moving freely into the wider Schengen area. EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner described the situation as “unacceptable” and said he remained in close contact with Spanish authorities.
Ireland also expressed support for Spain, with Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan announcing that he had requested an emergency meeting of the European Union’s Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR) mechanism as part of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Moroccan government sources reportedly blamed criminal smuggling networks for the mass crossings while insisting that Morocco’s cooperation with Spain on border security remained strong.
Meanwhile, Rachid Sbihi, head of an association representing Spain’s Guardia Civil officers, described the situation as a severe humanitarian crisis, saying thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were sleeping in parks and on pavements without shelter.
He added that many of the victims drowned while attempting the dangerous sea crossing, while others died in a crush near the Tarajal border fence.
Videos from the area showed large groups of migrants, including women and children, entering Ceuta from the shoreline as Spanish authorities struggled to contain the influx.