Spanish authorities are struggling to identify the 72 victims who died during a massive migrant surge into Ceuta from Morocco that began on July 31, 2026, with many bodies lacking identification, officials said Monday. Authorities must coordinate with Moroccan counterparts to locate families of the deceased, while the enclave grapples with thousands who remain after most returned home.
An estimated 69,500 migrants have crossed back to Morocco over four days following the border breach that saw roughly 60,000 people—equivalent to 70 percent of Ceuta’s population—enter the North African territory within 24 hours, according to regional president Juan Jesús Vivas. Between 2,500 and 5,000 people were estimated to still be in the city as of Monday, with about 1,000 being unprotected minors overwhelming a child protection system built for just 100.
The death toll on Spanish soil held at 72 Monday, Ceuta’s regional government confirmed, while 11 additional deaths were reported on the Moroccan side. Earlier, Vivas had reported 34 fatalities but provided no cause of death.
Spain’s foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares declared Monday that Ceuta and Melilla being Spanish territory is “unquestionable, for the whole world.”
Social Media Fueled the Rush
Rumors circulating on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok suggesting Spain’s border was opening sparked the migration wave. The crisis erupted Thursday and intensified Friday as security forces clashed with crowds attempting to cross the frontier, with Vivas calling the situation “absolutely unsustainable.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Ceuta on Friday and pledged to deploy all available government resources to manage the emergency.
Streets Overwhelmed by Arrivals
The sudden influx created a grave humanitarian emergency in Ceuta, a compact Spanish territory, Rachid Sbihi, who leads a labor organization representing Civil Guard workers there, reported. Thousands slept in public parks and streets, including children traveling without adults, while military reinforcements focused solely on treating casualties and delivering emergency assistance, he said, describing desperate and chaotic conditions.
Drowning claimed many victims, Sbihi said, though some perished in a stampede at Tarajal beach’s breakwater fence near a Moroccan checkpoint. Shoes, buoys and personal items littered the waters by Friday morning.
Migrants swam approximately five kilometers from Fnideq, a Moroccan town, around a barrier extending into the Mediterranean to reach Ceuta, perched on Africa’s northern coast. Others crossed from Belyounech nearby. Ahmed Karim, a 33-year-old Moroccan who made the journey due to unemployment at home, explained that countless individuals aspire to make it to Europe or the United States yet lack the opportunity.
Moroccan Forces Push Back
Moroccan police deployed extra officers, fired warning shots skyward and used water cannons to block migrants from crossing, rights groups reported. Water cannon trucks were stationed at gates into Ceuta, pushing people backward. Seven burned cars and a charred bus testified to earlier violent confrontations with the crowds.
Video from Thursday, July 30, showed large crowds, mostly Moroccan nationals, crossing breakwater structures to reach local streets. Young men dominated the footage, though families with women and young children were also visible. Friday’s live images captured hundreds of migrants on a hill overlooking Ceuta being scattered by tear gas from Moroccan forces, while others continued swimming toward Spanish territory.
Large groups walked from Ceuta back toward Morocco as others pressed forward. Spain’s Interior Ministry reported about 25,000 people had been returned to Morocco by early Friday, a number climbing past 48,000 by evening. Achraf Maimouni, who works on human rights issues in the Moroccan town of Fnideq, reported at 6 p.m. that crossings through the waterway continued despite heavy police deployment.
Europe Reacts With Alarm
Ceuta authorities blamed the surge on a Spanish Supreme Court ruling in July preventing officials from immediately expelling sea arrivals without due process. That decision does not cover land entries or fence climbers. Sánchez said trafficking networks exploited a self-serving interpretation of the ruling that spread quickly. But Moroccan activists doubted the ruling motivated the wave, contending that a majority of those attempting to cross likely knew nothing about such judicial decisions.
Karima Benyaich, Morocco’s ambassador to Spain, described the circumstances as challenging and noted the events occurred despite her government’s opposition, emphasizing that Rabat has always supported legal and orderly migration. Ceuta and the autonomous city of Melilla constitute the European Union’s sole land border with Africa.
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen labeled images from Ceuta “unacceptable” and demanded an end to dangerous crossings and the dismantling of smuggling networks. France strengthened inspections along its Spanish border, and Interior Minister Laurent Nunez deployed a specialized rapid response team to conduct comprehensive border inspections. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised Spain’s intention to prevent undocumented migrants from entering the broader European mainland, while France offered assistance including through Frontex. Germany, Italy and Finland criticized Madrid’s response, and Italy and Denmark called for excluding Spain from the Schengen zone. Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right movement, blamed Spanish authorities for facilitating the border surge.
