Ceuta crisis normalizes after unprecedented pressure, over 1,000 migrants accommodated in reception center
Emergency measures in the Spanish enclave: The situation is under control after a record wave of 60,000 people
CEUTIA, August 2, 2026 (20:45 Bulgarian time) — The situation in the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta is gradually stabilizing after the unprecedented migration wave, in which nearly 60,000 people crossed the border illegally from Morocco within a few days. As of this hour more than 1,000 migrants remain detained and housed in the local temporary accommodation center (CETI) and additional areas set up while authorities accelerate procedures for identification and processing their documents.
Most of the arrivals — mainly young men of Moroccan and Algerian origin — have already been returned or have voluntarily withdrawn to Moroccan territory. According to official figures from the Spanish authorities, more than 48,000 people have crossed back across the border in the last 48 hours, after facing a lack of shelter, food and increased pressure from security forces.
A tragic toll at sea and on land
The humanitarian crisis has reached a new grim record as the number of confirmed deaths rose to 72. Rescue teams and the Guardia Civil continue to find lifeless bodies along the coastline of Ceuta. The causes of the fatal outcome were drowning while trying to swim the distance from the Moroccan city of Fnidek, as well as suffocation and crushing during the mass assault on the border fences and breakwater.
To stop the crossing by water, Spain began the urgent construction of a 500-meter floating pneumatic barrier in the area of the Tarajal breakwater. Overcoming this new facility will be considered a direct violation of the land border, which will allow the immediate expulsion of violators.
Diplomatic tremors in the European Union
The events in Ceuta have caused serious political tension on the Old Continent. The leaders of 22 European Union countries, including Bulgaria, sent a joint open letter requesting extraordinary talks of interior ministers on Tuesday to coordinate a swift and firm response to the "weaponization of migration".
Italy took a radical step by unilaterally suspending the Schengen agreement with Spain for a month and introducing increased checks at airports and ports for arrivals from Spanish territory. In the same vein, France announced that it was tightening controls on its land border with the Iberian country.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described the situation as a direct "violation of territorial integrity" and accused organized crime networks of human trafficking who had spread false rumors on social media about a decision by the Supreme Court in Madrid. For its part, the European Commission has reassured that there is no established movement of illegal migrants from Ceuta towards the interior of continental Europe, as the enclave is subject to strict secondary passport control by air and sea.