Migrants seen swimming around border fence of Spanish enclave Ceuta

What the report says

BBC World News reported that hundreds of migrants reached Ceuta, Spain’s enclave on the North African coast, after crossing from Morocco by sea and through the land border area. Video published by the BBC showed people swimming around the border fence, while the report said others used inflatable devices and some entered by running through a gate in the fence.

Ceuta’s regional leader, Juan Jesús Vivas, said the scale of arrivals was straining local capacity and called on Spain’s central government to step in. The BBC cited Spanish media estimates, reported by Reuters, that between 2,000 and 3,000 people may have entered the enclave on Thursday, while noting that Spain’s Guardia Civil had not confirmed that number.

The development is significant because Ceuta is one of two Spanish territories on Morocco’s northern coast and therefore one of the European Union’s land borders with Africa. It has repeatedly been a destination for people trying to enter Europe, often prompting pressure on local services, border authorities and relations between Spain and Morocco.

The BBC report did not provide confirmed details on the migrants’ nationalities, whether anyone was injured, how many remained in Ceuta, or what immediate measures Spanish authorities would take. Those details remain important for understanding the humanitarian and political consequences of the latest crossings.