Spain Slams 'Selfish' EU Reaction, Installs Floating Barrier After Deadly Migrant Rush

Spain began installing a 500-meter floating barrier on Saturday off its border with the North African enclave of Ceuta, following a mass migrant rush that tragically claimed at least 67 lives. The incident prompted alarm across the European Union, leading 22 member states to call for coordinated action to secure external borders.

Ireland, holding the rotating EU presidency, has convened an emergency video conference for the bloc's interior ministers to address the crisis. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez publicly criticized Italy's decision to suspend passport-free Schengen travel with Madrid for one month. He described the move as a "selfish, polarizing and unlawful reaction" in a letter addressed to the EU Commission and European Council presidents.

Spanish authorities reported that over 48,000 of the 50,000 individuals who entered Ceuta by land and sea had returned to Morocco within 48 hours. Madrid stated that those who entered Ceuta irregularly were prevented from traveling to mainland Spain or other Schengen zone countries. The foreign ministry added that travelers departing Ceuta by sea or air undergo police identity checks as a secondary security measure after the land border control with Morocco.

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In the current international context, the EU cannot afford this kind of selfish, polarising and unlawful reaction.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska attributed the influx to people-smuggling networks exploiting vulnerable migrants and spreading misinformation about a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling. He noted that many migrants were driven by economic hardship and encouraged by social media rumors. Grande-Marlaska stated that order had largely been restored within 24 hours, though the crisis was not formally over, with reinforced police and military deployments remaining in place. He affirmed that "Morocco isn't any threat to Ceuta or the rest of Spain, it's a fully reliable partner," adding that there was no intelligence indicating an imminent mass entry.

The new floating barrier, along with anchored naval buoys, is designed to extend above and below the water's surface. A channel between the barriers will allow Civil Guard vessels to patrol the area. The Tarajal breakwater, a primary entry point for migrants, is where the barrier is being deployed. Reports indicate that some individuals drowned, while others were crushed while attempting to scale the breakwater supporting border fences.

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Morocco isn't any threat to Ceuta or the rest of Spain, it's a fully reliable partner.