Morocco blames misinformation for Ceuta migrant surge

RABAT, Morocco (MNTV) — Morocco has attributed the recent mass movement of migrants toward the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla to misleading social media content, human trafficking networks and confusion over a Spanish court ruling concerning migrant returns.

The Interior Ministry said online misinformation and coordinated trafficking operations encouraged thousands of people to attempt the crossings by creating the impression that reaching the Spanish territories would be easy.

Official figures released by Moroccan authorities showed that around 40,000 people participated in attempts to enter Ceuta, while another 1,135 were prevented from reaching Melilla. 

The ministry said 11 people died during the crossings, most of them by drowning, and added that it was verifying reports of additional fatalities from the Spanish side.

Moroccan officials said the narrow stretch of water separating Morocco from Ceuta—less than 70 metres in places—gave many migrants the false impression that the journey posed little difficulty.

The figures differ from those released by Spain, which estimated that more than 60,000 migrants entered Ceuta by land and sea before most were returned to Morocco. Spanish authorities have reported 72 deaths linked to the incident.

Spain has pledged to repatriate all migrants who entered the enclave irregularly. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said the majority had already been returned and that deportation efforts would continue until everyone had been sent back.

Officials in Ceuta said more than 1,000 people received medical treatment during the crisis, while authorities reinforced police and military patrols and installed a 500-metre floating barrier along part of the coastline to strengthen border security.

Many migrants said they were persuaded to make the journey after watching viral social media videos or receiving messages claiming the heavily guarded border had become accessible. 

After arriving in Ceuta, however, many discovered they were unable to continue to mainland Spain and struggled to obtain food and basic necessities.

Ceuta regional leader Juan Jesus Vivas said the city’s morgue had received 88 bodies, including victims from earlier attempts to reach the enclave. 

He added that Moroccan authorities were also recovering bodies from the sea, although no official figures had been shared.

The incident has prompted growing concern across Europe. Twenty-two European Union member states have called for coordinated measures to strengthen the bloc’s external borders, while Italy temporarily suspended passport-free Schengen travel with Spain for one month.

EU interior ministers are scheduled to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the migrant surge and consider a coordinated response.

Spain has rejected claims that its regularization programme for undocumented migrants encouraged the crossings, maintaining that migrants entering Ceuta without authorization cannot continue onward to mainland Spain or other countries within the Schengen Area.