Lorraine Williamson
Spain has pledged an immediate response after thousands of migrants crossed into the North African enclave of Ceuta, overwhelming local services and prompting renewed calls for government intervention.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said all necessary resources were being mobilised, while Ceuta’s president, Juan Jesús Vivas, warned that the crisis had worsened further, with more arrivals, overstretched facilities and another life lost at sea.
Spain has deployed military personnel to support the Guardia Civil and National Police as authorities work to regain control of the border. At least nine people were reported dead on Thursday after attempting to reach Spanish territory by sea, although El País later reported a higher toll as recovery operations continued. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska are expected to visit the city as the government assesses the scale of the crisis.
The latest influx is the largest to affect Ceuta since the diplomatic crisis of 2021, when around 8,000 people entered the Spanish enclave in just two days. Video footage published by international media showed large groups making their way around the Tarajal breakwater, with many reaching Spanish territory by swimming while others crossed on foot.
Sánchez promises immediate action
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the Spanish Government was “fully committed to providing an immediate response” to the situation in Ceuta, confirming that all necessary resources were being mobilised.
In a statement published on X, Sánchez said the Government was working closely with the Moroccan authorities and international partners while preparing further measures aimed at restoring normality as quickly as possible. He added that he had spoken directly with Ceuta’s president, Juan Jesús Vivas, stressing that “this is the time to build solutions, with responsibility and cooperation.”
Ceuta president warns crisis is worsening
Ceuta’s president, Juan Jesús Vivas, warned that the situation had deteriorated further since his appeal on Wednesday, saying arrivals had continued to increase while local resources had been overwhelmed.
Writing on X, Vivas said the city now needed “an immediate, coordinated intervention with all the necessary resources”, adding that another life had been lost at sea. His latest statement reinforces calls for additional support from the central government as emergency services continue to deal with the humanitarian and security challenges created by the surge in arrivals.
Local authorities say services are overwhelmed
Ceuta’s president, Juan Jesús Vivas, described the situation as a humanitarian and social emergency after more than 1,500 people had entered the city over the previous 10 days, with Thursday bringing a dramatic escalation. He appealed to Madrid for additional support, a unified command structure and greater financial assistance, warning that reception facilities and security resources were struggling to cope.
The Spanish government rejected his request to declare a national emergency, arguing that current civil protection legislation does not classify migratory movements as grounds for invoking that mechanism. Ministers said existing security and humanitarian resources were instead being reinforced.
Army joins Guardia Civil at the frontier
As the number of arrivals increased, the government deployed military personnel to support the Guardia Civil and National Police in securing the border and assisting with operations across the city.
Reuters reported that between 2,000 and 3,000 people may have crossed into Ceuta during Thursday alone, although authorities had not published an official final figure by late evening. Most of those arriving were reported to be young Moroccan men, although families and children were also among those reaching Spanish territory.
Businesses close to the border closed during the afternoon as security forces worked to regain control of the situation, while additional personnel were deployed to manage reception centres already operating under severe pressure.
Death toll rises during dangerous sea crossings
At least nine people were reported to have died while attempting to reach Ceuta by sea, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. Spanish newspaper El País later reported that the number of confirmed fatalities had risen to at least 10, although officials indicated search and recovery operations were continuing and the final toll could change.
Many migrants entered by swimming around the Tarajal breakwater, one of the most hazardous crossing points between Morocco and the Spanish enclave. Emergency services continued operating along the coastline into the evening.
Court ruling has changed border procedures
The renewed pressure comes only weeks after Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants reaching Ceuta or Melilla by sea cannot automatically be returned under so-called “pushback” procedures, requiring authorities to follow ordinary immigration processes instead.
Spanish officials have suggested that criminal trafficking networks may be exploiting that legal change by encouraging more people to attempt the dangerous sea crossing into the enclave.
Echoes of the 2021 border crisis
Thursday’s events inevitably draw comparisons with the crisis of May 2021, when thousands of migrants crossed into Ceuta after Morocco relaxed border controls during a diplomatic dispute with Spain.
The latest arrivals have again exposed the challenges facing Ceuta and neighbouring Melilla, Spain’s two autonomous cities in North Africa and the European Union’s only land border with the African continent. Both remain focal points for irregular migration into Europe and frequent flashpoints in relations between Madrid and Rabat.
With Pedro Sánchez due to visit Ceuta on Friday alongside Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, attention is now turning to whether Spain will introduce additional security measures, expand reception capacity or seek further cooperation from Morocco and the European Union to prevent further crossings.
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