About 60,000 Migrants Arrive in Ceuta in 24 Hours, Spanish Territory’s Leader Says

About 60,000 migrants have crossed into Spain’s North African territory of Ceuta from Morocco in the last 24 hours, Ceuta’s president said, adding that at least 34 others died during the crossing.

The influx comes after Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, another Spanish exclave, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as an “attack” and said all illegal migrants would be returned to Morocco “as soon as possible”. Several European leaders have expressed concern, some promising to tighten border controls.

More than 25,000 have returned to Morocco voluntarily so far, officials said.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and the French president offered to help Spain.

Ceuta, on Morocco’s northern coast, is separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar and has long been a focal point for migrants attempting to reach Europe.

Local officials had appealed to Madrid for help after a recent rise in attempted crossings, but there were chaotic scenes on Thursday as border controls apparently broke down.

Ceuta’s President Juan Jesús Vivas said the situation was “unsustainable” and that the recent arrivals amounted to around 70% of the city’s population – which sits at around 83,600 according to the latest local figures.

Spain’s Interior Ministry told the BBC that its estimates were slightly lower, citing 50,000 arrivals since the early hours of Thursday.

It also added that more than 25,000 people have left Ceuta en route back to Morocco from Friday morning up to 13:00 local time (11:00 GMT).

The ministry said the rate of departures from Ceuta is at 150 people per minute, though it did not provide any further information on this.

Spain has now deployed its armed forces to bolster security in Ceuta and at its sister city of Melilla, where between 300 to 400 crossings were also reported overnight.

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Officials estimate at least 7,000 of those who crossed illegally into the territory in the last 24 hours are minors.

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EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said the images out of 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, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz demanded Morocco “take back illegal migrants immediately”.

The Schengen Area is a system of open borders spanning 29 European countries that have officially abolished controls at their common borders.