Spain deploys troops to Ceuta after 60,000 migrants crossed sea

Madrid said it would seek to expel as quickly as possible those who entered the enclave and reinforce the border fence in to halt further mass crossings.

More than a dozen have died as thousands of migrants entered a small Spanish territory in Northern Africa. Here’s what to know.

At least 18 migrants died trying to reach Spain's Ceuta as thousands crossed from Morocco, prompting military deployment.

Spain's ​Interior Ministry ‌said on Friday ​that according to its ⁠estimates ​more than 40,000 migrants had crossed ​into ​the enclave of Ceuta ⁠in North Africa over ​the past 24 hours, as ​they ​rushed ⁠by sea and ⁠land from Morocco.

5 min readJul 31, 2026 02:07 PM IST Migrants try to cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Thursday, July 30, 2026. (Source: AP) Thousands of migrants crossed into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Thursday, overwhelming local authorities, prompting Madrid to deploy troops and leavin

Spain estimates 49,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta over past 24 hours  Reuters

Thousands of asylum seekers stormed the Spanish exclave of Ceuta in Morocco on Thursday, reaching the exclave by swimming, boat, or climbing over fences.

Spain has deployed its military to Ceuta after thousands of migrants overwhelmed police barricades.

Spain recovered the bodies of nine migrants who died while trying to swim to Ceuta, allegedly after rumours spread that the border had opened