Hundreds of migrants have been swimming from Morocco to the Spanish territory of Ceuta at the country’s northern tip, overwhelming border and reception arrangements, local authorities said on Wednesday.
Ceuta officials said the scale of the sea crossings is unusual for this time of year. They said good weather typically leads to more crossings by sea during the summer months, but the current situation has accelerated far beyond normal levels.
More Than 1,500 Arrivals By Sea
The head of Ceuta’s government, Juan Jesús Vivas, told reporters that more than 1,500 migrants, including adults and minors, had reached Ceuta by sea in the previous few days. He said reception facilities were “collapsed and saturated”.
Vivas also said that in earlier attempts to cross, migrants had died. He cited the discovery of 60 bodies at sea over the last year.
Spain’s interior ministry, which oversees borders and irregular migration reporting, did not confirm the number of crossings or how many people had arrived via swimming. The ministry directed journalists to its bimonthly migration report, with the next one due on 3 August.
Rescue Operations And Overcrowding
Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Spain’s interior minister, said authorities were dealing with “an extraordinary, exceptional situation” and that Spain had deployed the resources already in place permanently.
Spain’s Civil Guard and maritime rescue services have been using boats to pick up people in the water before transferring them to Ceuta. The Red Cross has also been involved in the rescue effort.
Authorities said hundreds of migrants are sleeping outside a reception centre that is beyond capacity.
Activists in Morocco and Ceuta said most people trying to cross are Moroccans, with a smaller number of Algerians, who had been living in Morocco while attempting to reach Europe.
It was not immediately clear what prompted the surge in sea arrivals.
Legal Ruling And Possible Link To Previous Crisis
Vivas pointed to a ruling from Spain’s Supreme Court earlier this month, which established that migrants arriving by sea cannot be immediately returned across the border without due process. He said that differs from procedures for those who enter Spain by land, such as by climbing over the border fence.
However, some activists questioned whether the court decision explains the current pattern. Omar Naji, president of the Moroccan Association of Human Rights in Eastern Morocco, said many Moroccans were likely unaware of such legal developments.
Naji added that the timing of the crossings, occurring after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune last week, reminded him of the border crisis in May 2021. At the time, more than 8,000 migrants reached Ceuta in just two days, following allegations that Morocco had reduced border controls and allowed crossings into the enclave after Spain permitted Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali to receive medical treatment in a Spanish hospital.
The pro-independence Polisario Front, a decades-long participant in the Western Sahara dispute, has said it is the legitimate representative of the indigenous Sahrawi people.
Morocco Cooperating, Interior Minister Says
On Wednesday, Grande-Marlaska said Spain had praised Moroccan cooperation. In an interview with Spanish television channel laSexta, he said the relationship with Morocco was “close and based on loyalty” and that Moroccan authorities were limiting irregular departures.
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30 July 2026
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