Spain records 57 deaths during crossing attempt to Ceuta

At least 57 people died during an attempt to cross into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, following a migration surge involving tens of thousands of Moroccans along the Spain-Morocco border. Spanish authorities said some of the victims drowned while others were crushed attempting to scale the breakwater supporting the border fence. As Madrid and Rabat stepped up control and return operations, the incident sparked political reactions across several European Union countries.

Spanish authorities announced on Friday, July 31, 2026, that they had managed to contain the migratory flow recorded since Thursday morning toward Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa. According to Spain's Interior Ministry, approximately 50,000 people crossed the border by land and sea during the period, of whom about 48,300 had already returned to Morocco by 6 p.m. Friday (4 p.m. GMT). The head of Ceuta's regional government, Juan Jesús Vivas, said the number of people who crossed the border over the previous two days may have reached 60,000.

The Spanish government's representative in Ceuta reported that 57 bodies had been recovered on the Spanish side of the border and warned that more victims might be found on Moroccan territory. According to authorities, some people drowned during the sea crossing, while others were crushed trying to get past the breakwater and the metal structure that marks the boundary between the two territories.

Moroccan security forces used batons and tear gas to prevent further attempts to enter Ceuta. Riot squads were stationed at access points to the Spanish enclave, while trucks with water cannons were used to disperse groups still gathered near the border fence. Reuters observed the remains of a bus and seven burned cars in the area, the result of clashes during the operation.

On the Spanish side of the border, military vehicles were deployed along different sections of the fence. On Moroccan territory, dozens of migrants remained on nearby hills watching the movements, while hundreds began returning through checkpoints or through gaps in the separation structure between the two countries.

Migrants interviewed by Reuters reported difficulties staying in Ceuta after crossing. A young Moroccan from Tangier said: "Honestly, I don't even know why I came, and now I'm going back. I haven't eaten since yesterday's lunch, although I brought some money with me... What we're doing isn't good or pleasant."

Another migrant, identified only as Ayman, a 20-year-old hairdresser from the town of Larache, told Reuters he spent about five hours swimming to reach Ceuta. According to his account, "There was no food in Ceuta and we were brutally pushed out by the Spanish army."

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Ceuta on Friday and was met with protest demonstrations. During the visit, he described the mass entry as "a violation of Spain's territorial sovereignty" and said the government was speeding up the repatriation process for those who entered irregularly, in coordination with Moroccan authorities.

Ceuta and Melilla are the two Spanish autonomous cities located in North Africa and constitute the only land borders between the European Union and the African continent. Both locations see recurrent crossing attempts by migrants seeking access to European territory, although Spanish authorities have described the mobilization recorded between Thursday and Friday as one of the largest ever seen in the region.

The episode drew reactions from European governments. Italy announced the suspension of the Schengen Agreement's application toward Spain for air and sea travel, a move contested by Madrid, which said it considered the decision incompatible with EU treaties.

Right-wing political parties in several European countries attributed the rise in crossings to the migration policy adopted by the Spanish government, including the regularization of hundreds of thousands of immigrants carried out during the year. In response, the Spanish government summoned Italy's ambassador to protest statements by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who said Spain's amnesty policy had encouraged human trafficking.

U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the episode during a cabinet meeting. According to him, the crossings in Ceuta "look like an invasion," and added: "The same thing is going to happen to us if the Republicans aren't elected, only worse," referring to the midterm legislative elections.

In France, Interior Minister Laurent Núñez announced that police numbers on the border with Spain would be multiplied by five by Saturday, along with increased aerial surveillance and railway patrols. Although the Schengen Area provides for free movement among participating countries, its legislation allows for the temporary reimposition of border controls in situations deemed exceptional.

In a post on social media platform X, the Unified Association of the Civil Guard (AUGC) said the number of officers deployed to monitor the Ceuta fence was insufficient given the sudden surge of people recorded on Thursday, which, according to the association, hampered control of the situation.

Spanish Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres said one factor associated with the increase in crossing attempts may have been a recent ruling by Spain's Supreme Court that prevents the immediate pushback of migrants intercepted at sea when trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla. The ruling, however, does not prevent expulsion procedures from being subsequently carried out by the competent authorities.

On the Moroccan side of the border, thousands of migrants remained in the town of Fnideq overnight, despite reinforced security forces. Throughout Friday, some left the area, while others continued moving along the coastal strip in search of alternative routes to reach Ceuta. A man identified only as Brahim, 32, a resident of Tangier, said he arrived after the access points had been closed and found the passage practically blocked.