Spain: 70,000 migrants return to Morocco after 'Ceuta' crisis

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said that approximately 70,000 of the 72,000 migrants who entered the Spanish city of Ceuta last week have returned to Morocco.

Marlaska added at a press conference following a meeting of EU interior ministers on Tuesday that authorities would continue to assess the situation of those remaining, with a view to “repatriating those not entitled to remain in Spain” in accordance with Spanish and international law.

He emphasized that any deportation operations would be carried out with full respect for legal guarantees and human rights, while noting that Spanish authorities had not received any intelligence indicating an impending crisis of this scale, adding that what had been anticipated was a usual seasonal increase in arrivals during the summer.

He pointed out that security measures taken by the Spanish government in recent months had already contributed to a 30 percent reduction in the number of migrants entering Spain irregularly since the beginning of the year, compared to the same period last year.

Ceuta witnessed its largest wave of crossings since the 2021 crisis, with around 72,000 people entering the city (40,000 according to Moroccan authorities), prompting the Madrid government to deploy the military, reinforce security forces, and install floating barriers along the maritime border.

Spanish authorities stated that at least 72 migrants lost their lives on the Spanish side of the border during the mass crossing into Ceuta, with most drowning while attempting to swim to the city. Moroccan authorities reported that 11 others died on the Moroccan side of the border.