About 49,000 migrants enter Spanish enclave of Ceuta, officials say

What the report says

BBC World News reported that Spanish officials estimate about 49,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave, within a 24-hour period. The report, published on 31 July 2026 and updated shortly afterward, said videos and images showed large numbers of people swimming into the city on Thursday, with local media indicating that crossings continued overnight.

According to the BBC, officials said at least 18 people have died in recent days while attempting to reach the territory. They also estimated that at least 7,000 of those who entered Ceuta illegally during the latest 24-hour period were minors. The reported figure is striking because Ceuta’s population is around 83,600, meaning the arrivals would amount to more than half the city’s residents.

The development follows a Spanish Supreme Court ruling earlier in July that migrants intercepted at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, Spain’s other enclave on the North African coast, cannot be returned immediately to Morocco without further process. The BBC presented the ruling as relevant context for the latest crossings, but did not report a direct causal link.

Ceuta and Melilla are frequent entry points for people attempting to reach European Union territory from North Africa. The scale of the latest reported arrivals, the deaths linked to recent attempts, and the number of minors involved are likely to intensify pressure on Spanish authorities over border management, humanitarian response and legal obligations.