Hundreds of migrants swim from Morocco to Spanish enclave of Ceuta

What the report says

BBC World News reports that hundreds of migrants have crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave, over the past week, citing the territory’s leader, Juan Jesús Vivas. He said the arrivals are straining local resources and called for intervention by Spain’s central government. Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska is expected to visit on Friday, according to Reuters as cited by the BBC.

Video described in the report showed people reaching Ceuta by sea on Thursday, including some swimming with inflatable rings and other flotation aids, while others moved through a gate in the border fence. The exact scale of the latest crossings remains unclear: Spanish media, citing Reuters, estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 entries on Thursday, though the Guardia Civil had not confirmed that figure. Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE reported “hundreds” arrived that day and said more than 1,500 people, mostly young Moroccans, had reached Ceuta in the past two weeks.

Vivas also warned of what he described as a humanitarian and security emergency, with centres for unaccompanied minors reportedly operating far beyond capacity. RTVE, as cited by the BBC, said Vivas reported that 60 bodies had been recovered at sea in recent months.

Ceuta, along with Melilla, is one of Spain’s two enclaves in North Africa and forms the European Union’s only land border with Africa. The latest influx has drawn comparisons with May 2021, when about 8,000 people entered Ceuta in several days, worsening tensions between Spain and Morocco.