60,000 migrants cross into Spain's Ceuta in 24 hours; 34 deaths reported

Approximately 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain's Ceuta enclave within 24 hours, according to BBC reporting, a surge that equals roughly 70 percent of the territory's population of 83,600. At least 34 people died during the crossings, and at least 7,000 of those who crossed illegally are minors, officials estimate. Between 300 to 400 additional crossings were also reported overnight at Melilla, Spain's sister city enclave.

More than 25,000 of those who arrived have already returned to Morocco voluntarily, per the BBC's reporting. Spain has deployed its armed forces to bolster security in both Ceuta and Melilla, which form the European Union's only land borders with Africa. Ceuta and Melilla trace their Spanish heritage to the 15th century and have held limited self-government since 1995.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as an "attack" and said all illegal migrants would be returned to Morocco "as soon as possible," according to BBC reporting. Sánchez blamed the crossings on criminal networks manipulating Spain's Supreme Court's recent ruling that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot be summarily returned to Morocco. Sánchez stated that authorities in Morocco were cooperating with plans to return those who had entered illegally.

Ceuta's president Juan Jesús Vivas called the situation "unsustainable," per the BBC. A migrant quoted by Reuters told others not to make the crossing: "It's not good at all, and it's not fun either. People are dying here. I beg you, please, if you haven't come yet, don't come. Don't do it."

The surge has triggered diplomatic tensions across Europe. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the images from Ceuta as concerning and characterized uncontrolled immigration as a security threat to Europe, per the BBC. Italy said it would consider suspending the Schengen zone agreement, which permits free movement between participating nations, with Spain at the Italy-Spain border. Italy's foreign ministry later clarified that the proposal targeted suspension of Schengen at the Italy-Spain border specifically, rather than calling for Spain's overall exclusion from the agreement. Spain's foreign minister responded by calling Meloni's remarks "improper" and summoned the Italian ambassador to Madrid on Friday, according to the BBC.

Other European leaders offered varied responses. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and the French president offered to help Spain. EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen said the images from Ceuta were "unacceptable" and must "stop immediately." Finland's Interior Minister Mari Rantanen backed Meloni's proposal and said Spain had failed to protect its border. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz demanded Morocco "take back illegal migrants immediately," per BBC reporting.

The crossings follow a 2021 surge when Moroccan authorities allowed approximately 8,000 people to cross following a diplomatic dispute with Madrid over the sovereignty of Western Sahara, according to the BBC. A fresh diplomatic row over Western Sahara has flared recently after Sánchez travelled to Algeria, which backs independence for the region, the BBC reports.