Spain's Ceuta enclave faces migrant surge; 49,000 arrive

The Spanish enclave of Ceuta is experiencing a tense situation following the arrival of approximately 49,000 migrants since the previous day. Most arrived by swimming to the shores of the North African territory, which is under Spanish sovereignty.

In parallel, hundreds of migrants have also crossed into the other Spanish enclave, Melilla, using land routes and a dam in the southern part of the city. The president of the autonomous city, Juan José Imbroda, stated that security forces were maintaining control over the situation.

Reports indicate that at least 18 migrants have died while attempting to swim to Ceuta. Hundreds of young migrants spent the night on the streets of Ceuta, a city of 83,000 inhabitants, with many having minimal possessions. The pressure on the Moroccan-Spanish border had been increasing in the preceding days, with over 2,000 migrants reaching Ceuta in the last ten days, overwhelming reception centers.

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The security forces have kept the situation under control.

Several factors may have contributed to the surge in arrivals. One theory suggests a recent ruling by Spain's Supreme Court in early July, which stated that migrants reaching Ceuta by swimming cannot be immediately deported to Morocco without a formal procedure. This ruling may have encouraged more individuals to attempt the sea crossing.

The Spanish Interior Ministry confirmed the figures on Friday, July 31, while the situation in Melilla also saw a significant number of arrivals. The autonomous city's regional president, Juan Jesús Vivas, noted that reception centers were operating at over 200% capacity.

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The reception centers are partially over 200 percent occupied.