CEUTA, Spain- Spanish authorities estimate that about 49,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco within just 24 hours, triggering a humanitarian and security crisis that has overwhelmed the tiny North African territory.
According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, the migrants entered Ceuta by both land and sea, marking one of the largest single-day migration surges ever recorded at one of the European Union’s external borders.
The estimate has yet to be officially confirmed in full by the ministry, but officials described the influx as unprecedented.
The sudden arrival has placed immense pressure on Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city with a population of around 85,000 people.
Reception centres have exceeded capacity, forcing hundreds of migrants to sleep outdoors while local authorities scramble to provide food, shelter and medical assistance.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska travelled to Ceuta as Madrid deployed military personnel to reinforce the Civil Guard and other security forces managing the border crisis.
The crisis has also turned deadly.
At least nine migrants were initially reported dead during the crossings, though later reports placed the death toll even higher as rescue and recovery operations continued along the coastline.
Many victims are believed to have drowned while attempting to swim around border barriers or reach Ceuta by sea.
Authorities are working closely with Moroccan officials to stem further crossings and restore order.
While the exact cause of the mass movement remains unclear, the surge has prompted renewed debate over migration policies and border management within Spain and across the European Union.
Some observers have linked the influx to a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling limiting the immediate return of migrants who arrive by sea, although officials have not established a direct connection.
Ceuta and the nearby enclave of Melilla are the European Union’s only land borders with Africa and have long served as flashpoints for irregular migration.
However, the scale of the latest crossings far surpasses previous incidents, including the 2021 migration crisis that strained diplomatic relations between Spain and Morocco.
Spanish authorities say humanitarian support remains the immediate priority while security forces continue efforts to manage arrivals and prevent additional crossings.
