At least 18 migrants have died while attempting to reach the city of Ceuta after thousands of people crossed from northern Morocco in one of the largest migration waves recorded in recent years. The deaths, most of them by drowning, occurred as thousands of migrants sought to enter the enclave by sea amid chaotic scenes along the coastline.
The humanitarian situation escalated as Moroccan security forces intensified efforts to prevent further crossings, deploying additional personnel, water cannons and warning shots to disperse crowds gathering near the border. Clashes were reported on the Moroccan side, particularly around Fnideq, while hundreds of migrants continued attempting to swim toward the city. Many others later returned voluntarily to Morocco after failing to continue their journey.
According to Rachid Sbihi, head of a local association representing Spain's Civil Guard officers, most of the victims drowned, while others were reportedly killed in a stampede near the Tarajal breakwater. He described the situation inside Ceuta as a "serious humanitarian crisis," with thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied minors, sleeping in parks and public spaces as emergency services struggled to cope.
Moroccan authorities continued efforts to contain the situation by transferring migrants detained near the border farther inland, away from Ceuta. Human rights activist Achraf Maimouni said that despite the heavy security deployment, many migrants continued to enter the city through the sea, while the land crossing remained closed. Similar unrest was also reported near the city of Melilla, where migrants clashed with security forces in the neighboring Moroccan town of Beni Ansar.
Morocco's Ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, expressed hope that those who had crossed into Ceuta would return to Morocco, stressing that Rabat has consistently supported "legal, orderly and safe migration." She said the situation had unfolded against Morocco's wishes but did not comment on the factors that triggered the mass crossings.
The crisis has sparked political tensions in Spain and across Europe. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez traveled to Ceuta after local authorities requested military assistance, while opposition figures accused his government of encouraging irregular migration through its immigration policies.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni threatened to tighten border controls with Spain, and France announced reinforced checks along its frontier. Spanish authorities, however, rejected claims that recent migrant regularization measures had caused the surge, arguing instead that criminal smuggling networks had exploited interpretations of a recent Supreme Court ruling concerning migrants arriving by sea.
