Around 70,000 migrants who entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta have now returned to Morocco or left the territory, while the death toll from the unprecedented border crisis between Morocco and Spain has risen to 75.
Spain’s Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, announced that of the approximately 72,000 people who crossed into Ceuta during the massive migration wave, around 70,000 have since returned to Morocco.
He said Spanish authorities responded swiftly to the emergency and that the situation at the border has now largely stabilized.
The crisis erupted after a mass movement of migrants from Morocco into Ceuta, Spain’s autonomous territory in North Africa. Thousands attempted to enter by crossing the land border and swimming around border barriers.
During the crossings, dozens of people lost their lives, mainly due to drowning and the chaos caused by the overwhelming number of migrants. In the days following the crisis, the death toll continued to rise, reaching 75.
Although most migrants have returned to Morocco, several thousand remain in Ceuta, including hundreds of unaccompanied minors, placing significant pressure on local reception centers and public services.
The crisis has reignited debate across the European Union over strengthening the bloc’s external borders, dismantling human trafficking networks, and improving the management of irregular migration.
Following the events in Ceuta, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for stronger measures to protect the EU’s external borders.
