More than 60,000 migrants crossed the border from Morocco into the Spanish city of Ceuta in North Africa within 24 hours, resulting in at least 57 deaths. Many drowned, and some died in stampedes.
On 1 August 2026, international news agencies reported that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez traveled to Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast, following an influx of over 60,000 migrants crossing the border from Morocco into Spanish territory, which caused at least 57 fatalities.
The Spanish government confirmed the latest death toll on Friday evening. Earlier, Juan Jesús Vivas, president of Ceuta's local government, disclosed that about 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta over the past 24 hours by land and sea, with many swimming around the border barriers extending into the sea to enter Spanish territory.
Prime Minister Sánchez stated that the government is mobilizing all resources to handle the situation, emphasizing that this border crossing constitutes a violation of Spain's sovereignty. He noted that on Friday, officials deported approximately 25,000 migrants back to Morocco and will continue these efforts.
Rachid Sbihi, leader of the local workers' association representing the Spanish Civil Guard in Ceuta, described the event as a severe humanitarian crisis. He revealed that many of the deceased drowned while attempting to swim across the border, while others died in stampedes as crowds tried to breach barriers on Tarajal beach near the Ceuta-Morocco border crossing.
However, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior rejected calls to declare a national emergency, stating that such measures do not cover migrant crises but assured that additional personnel and resources will be allocated to manage the situation.
Ceuta is another autonomous Spanish city in North Africa and represents the only land border between the European Union and the African continent. As a result, both cities frequently face migrant attempts to cross the border into Europe.
Source: Aljazeera