At least 72 migrants have died in a chaotic rush to storm the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, turning one of Europe's latest border crises into a humanitarian disaster and reigniting a fierce debate over immigration across the continent. Spanish authorities continued searching the waters off Ceuta over the weekend for additional victims after an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 migrants, most of them young men, poured into the tiny Spanish territory on the coast of North Africa.
Officials said many of the victims drowned while attempting to reach the enclave by sea, while others were killed in a stampede near a breakwater barrier. The mass crossing unfolded over several days, briefly swelling Ceuta's population of roughly 84,000 by more than half. By Sunday, many migrants had returned to neighboring Morocco, while others remained in the city or tried to avoid authorities.
The deaths have intensified the political fight over immigration in Spain and across Europe. Far-right leaders have called for tighter border security and for the removal of migrants who remained in the enclave. Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain's nationalist Vox party, visited Ceuta on Sunday and sharply criticized the government, describing the influx as «an invasion» and accusing officials of failing to protect Spain's borders.
Tensions were also visible on Saturday, when European Parliament member Alvise Pérez faced angry counterprotesters during a rally in Ceuta. Pérez eventually took shelter inside a nearby bar before police escorted him away, underscoring how heated the atmosphere in the city has become.
Many local residents expressed sorrow over the loss of life even as the political argument intensified. «It pains me deeply that young people are dying at sea. It's not right that, in the year 2026, women with children as young as two months old should be crossing the sea only to die,» Karima Abenaz, a French national in Ceuta with family in Morocco, told Reuters. «In Morocco, there's food, there's everything we need. If we don't have a decent job, we should go on strike and demand our rights from the government. We shouldn't be dying at sea. It's not right.»
Other residents said the migrants themselves should not be blamed for the disaster. Mohamad Abdelkader Driss, a waiter in Ceuta, told The Associated Press that responsibility lies with the authorities. «If you open the border, of course everyone comes in, but the young men aren't to blame. The authorities are responsible,» he said.
Others said the events had tested Ceuta's long-standing reputation as a city where Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu communities have lived side by side. Some also voiced concerns about security and questioned whether another mass crossing could happen again, a sign of the anxiety the influx has created among residents.
The United States also reacted to the growing emergency. The State Department on Saturday raised its Travel Advisory for Ceuta to Level 3, «Reconsider Travel,» in response to the surge, warning that the «massive and uncontrolled arrival of migrants from Morocco to Ceuta may lead to unpredictable and dangerous security situations.»
