At least 88 people died in Ceuta following an influx of migrants
At least 88 people died in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa during a massive influx of migrants. According to “European Truth,” thousands of people, mostly from Morocco, have been trying to enter Spain by sea and land since July 30. The bodies of the deceased were recovered from the sea.
It is estimated that about 50,000 migrants arrived in Ceuta—more than two-thirds of the enclave’s permanent population. Local authorities declared a state of emergency and a humanitarian crisis. People crossed the border on inflatable rings, car tires, and other makeshift flotation devices, and also broke through border barriers and checkpoints.
The peak of the crisis, as the publication notes, has been overcome: nearly all of the arrivals were returned to Morocco. At the same time, Spanish authorities have raised suspicions regarding the Moroccan side’s possible involvement in orchestrating the migrant flow. According to their reports, during the days of the largest influx of migrants, Moroccan law enforcement officers—who typically patrol their side of the breakwater and cooperate with the Spanish Civil Guard—were not present.
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One theory suggests that this was Morocco’s response to the rapprochement between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government and Algeria—Morocco’s regional rival. Moroccan authorities deny any role in the crisis and attribute the mass movement of migrants to the activities of “criminal groups.”
The crisis has also caused tension in Europe. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized Pedro Sánchez and stepped up her anti-immigration rhetoric. Italian airports and seaports have introduced random checks of passengers arriving from Spain. A meeting of the EU Council for Justice and Home Affairs on the situation in Ceuta is scheduled for August 4; 22 EU leaders called for this meeting to be convened.
