Thousands of migrants crossed overnight from Morocco into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, a police source said Friday, as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez prepared to visit the territory to deal with the latest border crisis.
Around 40,000 migrants have entered Ceuta in recent days, the source said. The enclave has a population of about 80,000.
The huge influx has created a crisis for Spain and led France to announce tighter checks along its border with Spain. Madrid has also sent troops to strengthen security in Ceuta.
Sanchez and his interior minister were due to visit the Tarajal border on Friday.
AFP reporters saw hundreds of men, women and children swim around a border barrier from Morocco into Ceuta. Many discarded flotation rings and clothes used during the dangerous crossing.
At least 18 people have died trying to reach the enclave, the police source said.
“There was a steady stream of people all night long,” the source said, adding that migrants “continued to arrive overnight and are still arriving” early Friday.
The reason for the latest surge remains unclear.
Ceuta and neighbouring Melilla are Europe’s only two land borders with Africa. Ceuta covers 18.5 square kilometres.
On Thursday, migrants walked through Ceuta thanking Spanish police and shouting: “Bye bye Morocco, hello Spain.”
Morocco had not issued an official statement, though a Moroccan official said the two countries had discussed the situation.
In 2021, more than 10,000 migrants entered Ceuta within two days after Morocco eased border controls during a diplomatic dispute with Spain.
That dispute followed Spain’s decision to treat Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali. Relations later improved after Madrid backed Morocco’s Western Sahara plan in 2022, despite a rift with Algeria.
Sanchez visited Algiers on July 20, the first Spanish prime ministerial visit there in four years.
