The Spanish city of Ceuta, located in North Africa, experienced an unprecedented event when about 60,000 people crossed the border from Morocco in just one day, July 30-31, 2026. This number nearly doubled the city's usual population of 83,600. Many migrants swam across the sea or rushed the border fences. Sadly, between 34 and 41 people died during the crossing, either by drowning or being crushed at the border.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Ceuta and blamed criminal organizations for creating this crisis. He stated that smugglers spread false information about the border being open, leading many young people to their deaths. The situation caused chaos, with thousands of arrivals, including many children and teenagers, having nowhere to go. Local resources were overwhelmed, leading to a humanitarian emergency.
Spanish authorities mobilized military and police to control the situation. They made it clear that those who entered illegally would not benefit from a recent legalization program. Facing difficult conditions and increased police presence, many migrants began to return to Morocco voluntarily. By Friday afternoon, over 25,000 had gone back.
European leaders condemned the events. The President of the European Commission called the situation unacceptable. Other countries, like France and Germany, discussed border security and the return of migrants. Italy's Prime Minister even suggested removing Spain from the Schengen open-border area if Spain could not protect its borders. The crisis also sparked political debate within Spain about immigration policies.