Morocco confirms 11 deaths in mass Ceuta crossing attempt
09:15, 03/08/2026, MondayU: Update: 10:42, 03/08/2026, Monday
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Undocumented migrants, mostly young men, who entered Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta illegally, begin returning to Morocco after realizing their chances of obtaining legal status in Spain are unlikely on July 31, 2026.Interior Ministry spokesman Rachid El Khalfi announced the fatalities at an evening news conference, stating that approximately 40,000 people had attempted to reach the Spanish enclave while authorities continued coordination with Madrid to verify reports of additional casualties.
Morocco's Interior Ministry confirmed on Sunday that 11 people had died during a mass attempt by roughly 40,000 migrants to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, as Rabat issued its first official statement on the surge in border crossings.
Death toll and crossing figures
Ministry spokesman Rachid El Khalfi announced the fatalities at a Sunday evening news conference, marking Rabat's first official comment on the mass migration attempts. "The actual number of migrants reached approximately 40,000 people heading toward the city of Ceuta and around 1,135 people heading toward the city of Melilla," El Khalfi said, noting that one person died after falling from a rocky area near Ceuta while 10 others drowned.
"All those who managed to reach Melilla were returned immediately," El Khalfi added, describing the operation as an ongoing challenge for Moroccan security forces deployed along the northern coast.
Drivers of the surge
El Khalfi stated that authorities determined the crossings were not spontaneous but driven by social media misinformation, human trafficking networks, and misinterpretations of recent legal developments which created the impression that migrants could reach Europe without facing immediate consequences. He added that recent Spanish court rulings restricting immediate returns for some irregular migrants intercepted at sea had reinforced the belief among would-be migrants that reaching Ceuta by sea could help them avoid immediate return.
Discrepancies and border security
El Khalfi said Moroccan authorities were continuing to coordinate with Madrid to verify reports of additional deaths in Ceuta, including victims' identities and nationalities. Spanish media reported that the number of bodies recovered had risen to 88 as authorities completed a 500-meter floating security barrier at the Tarajal border crossing, amid renewed scrutiny of the Spanish-administered enclaves that constitute the European Union's only land borders with the African continent.
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