Spain says migrants are returning from Ceuta after 57 die in border rush

Spain announced Friday that the majority of the more than 50,000 migrants who surged into its North African enclave of Ceuta have voluntarily returned to Morocco. The unprecedented influx, which began Thursday morning, saw individuals crossing by both land and sea.

On the Spanish side of the border, authorities recovered 57 bodies. Officials indicated that further casualties may have occurred on the Moroccan side, with victims succumbing to drowning or being crushed while attempting to scale the border fence. The Spanish Interior Ministry estimated that approximately 48,300 of the 50,000 who crossed had returned by Friday evening. Juan Jesus Vivas, head of Ceuta's local government, suggested the total number of arrivals could have reached as high as 60,000 over the preceding two days.

Moroccan forces employed batons and tear gas to push back crowds at the gates of Ceuta, attempting to stem the flow into the small Spanish territory. The scale of the migrant rush triggered divisions within Europe, prompting calls from other EU leaders for Spain to contain the situation. Italy announced it was suspending the European Union's border-free Schengen arrangements with Spain, a decision Madrid deemed a violation of EU treaties.

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Honestly, I don't even know why I came, and now I'm going back. I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday, even though I brought some money with me ... What we're doing is neither good nor enjoyable.

Migrants who returned described difficult conditions. Some reported a lack of food and shelter in Ceuta, while others spoke of being mistreated by Spanish military personnel. "Honestly, I don't even know why I came, and now I'm going back," one young Moroccan man from Tangier told Reuters. "I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday, even though I brought some money with me ... What we're doing is neither good nor enjoyable." Ayman, a 20-year-old hairdresser from Larache, recounted swimming for five hours to cross, only to find no sustenance and harsh treatment upon arrival.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited Ceuta on Friday, facing insults from protesters. He described the mass crossings as a "challenge" for Spain and Europe, emphasizing the need for a coordinated European response. The situation highlighted the ongoing pressures at Europe's borders and the complex humanitarian and political issues surrounding migration.

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There was no food inside Ceuta and we were kicked out badly by the (Spanish) army.