Ceuta crisis death toll hits 72 as EU border unity fractures

At least 72 people died as an estimated 60,000 migrants surged into Spain's Ceuta enclave from Morocco, the largest border breach in the territory's history and a crisis that has fractured European unity over migration policy.

"The latest figure that we have is 72," Miguel Angel Perez Triano, the Spanish government's delegate to Ceuta, told reporters Sunday, raising the toll from 67 as authorities confirmed more than 1,000 people received medical treatment since Thursday.

Most of the estimated 60,000 migrants, many of whom swam around the border breakwater or scaled the fence, have returned to Morocco, with Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska saying "almost everyone has now left." Ceuta regional leader Juan Jesus Vivas told El Pais the city's morgue received 88 bodies, a figure that includes deaths from smaller crossing attempts over the previous two weeks. Spain deployed troops and installed a 500-meter floating barrier off the coast Saturday.

The crisis has triggered a diplomatic rupture within the EU. Italy suspended its Schengen agreement with Spain for one month, and 22 member states signed a joint letter demanding coordinated action to protect external borders. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in a letter to EU leaders, called the reactions "selfish, polarizing and unlawful," while EU chief Ursula von der Leyen described the images from Ceuta as "unacceptable."

The influx, which began Wednesday when migrants heard social media rumors that the border was open, overwhelmed Ceuta's reception facilities. Many migrants drowned attempting the swim from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, roughly 5 kilometers from Spanish territory, while others were crushed trying to climb the breakwater that holds the border fence. Rachid Sbihi, spokesman for the union representing most of Ceuta's gendarmerie, said at least 70 migrants died during the crossings, including children who could not swim.

Spain has blamed criminal gangs for spreading rumors that a recent Supreme Court ruling on immigration would ease passage for migrants arriving by sea. The ruling, which prevents authorities from immediately returning migrants who arrive by water, does not apply to those entering by land. Activists in Morocco expressed doubt that the ruling drove the surge, arguing most migrants would have been unaware of such legal decisions.

The crisis echoes a smaller but similar event in 2021, when roughly 10,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta after Morocco eased border controls to pressure Spain over Western Sahara policy. That episode also triggered EU criticism but did not produce the same level of intra-bloc friction now on display.

Schengen Fractures as Italy Suspends Border-Free Travel

Italy's one-month suspension of its Schengen agreement with Spain marks the most dramatic unilateral action by a member state in response to the crisis. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the measure was adopted "to safeguard national security and prevent possible repercussions for our Nation." French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said France would tighten its borders with Spain, and Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen wrote on X that "Spain has completely failed to protect the external border of the Schengen area."

Sanchez pushed back, noting that illegal crossings into the EU fell 25 percent to 178,000 in 2025, less than half the level recorded in 2023, according to Frontex data. He called for an emergency EU meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday. The EU's 22-member joint letter demands a "speedy coordinated response" to prevent further uncontrolled crossings.

Spain's more open immigration stance has drawn scrutiny. Earlier this year, Sanchez's government announced a program to grant residency to more than half a million undocumented immigrants already in the country. Spain has rejected suggestions that the scheme encouraged the rush into Ceuta, noting that those who entered irregularly could not travel on to mainland Spain or elsewhere in the Schengen zone.

The EU is scheduled to hold a video call Tuesday to discuss a coordinated response. Pope Leo XIV addressed the situation in his daily prayers Sunday, saying he was following it "with concern" and hoping for a solution of "peace, stability and justice."

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.