Over 48,000 migrants return to Morocco from Ceuta in 24-hour reversal as 57 die in sea crossing
Tens of thousands of people who entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Thursday reversed course by Friday evening, walking back across the border after finding a city shut down and without food or water. At least 57 bodies were recovered from the coast.
The largest single-day influx of migrants into a European Union territory in years reversed almost as quickly as it began. By 20:00 on Friday, police sources estimated more than 53,000 people had returned voluntarily to Morocco, exceeding even the Spanish government's estimate of 50,000 arrivals. The Interior Ministry put the official return figure at over 48,300.
The crossing
The mass movement began on Thursday afternoon, when thousands of people, mostly young Moroccan men aged 18 to 35, entered Ceuta by swimming around the Tarajal breakwater or walking across the rocky border. Many had travelled hundreds of kilometres from cities like Casablanca and Tangier after videos circulated on social media claiming the frontier was open. Hamid and Ahmed, two men who spoke to elDiario.es, boarded a train at Casablanca station at 17:00 on 30 July, drawn by the prospect of reaching European soil.
No nos queda nada, solo Dios.
Some who crossed did not know how to swim. Youssef, a 19-year-old from Tetuán, told EL MUNDO he used his flip-flops on his hands to paddle faster. He said he watched two young men die in front of him after they were thrown against the rocks, struck their heads and backs, and could not resurface. Their bodies disappeared under the mild swell of the past few days.
- Thousands begin arriving in Castillejos after social media posts claim the border is open. Trains from Casablanca and Tangier carry people toward the frontier.
- First large groups enter Ceuta by swimming around the Tarajal breakwater and walking across rocks. Hamido, 34, from Larache, arrives around this time.
- Daybreak reveals Ceuta completely shut: no shops open, no food or water available. Migrants wander streets or sleep on pavement.
- Police sources estimate over 53,000 people have returned voluntarily to Morocco. Returned figure now exceeds the initial arrival estimate.
- Moroccan police use tear gas and water cannons in Castillejos. Mountain sweeps clear remaining groups. Italy suspends Schengen agreement with Spain for non-EU travellers.
A shut city
Those who reached Ceuta found a city of just over 80,000 residents completely paralysed. Shops, supermarkets, and pharmacies stayed closed. No food, water, or medicine was available. People slept on the pavement, on benches, wherever they could. Hamido, a 34-year-old car painter from Larache, sat barefoot on a bench on Friday evening.
He had arrived around 15:00 on Thursday. His brother had made the same journey four years earlier and now lives in Barcelona. Hamido wanted to help his widowed mother but found no way to buy even basic supplies in Ceuta.
The return
Throughout Friday, a river of people walked back along the coastal road to the border. Soldiers and police informed those still wandering the streets that they should return to Morocco. At the Tarajal breakwater, the flow shifted: more people were leaving than arriving. Some who had made the crossing shouted at others still standing waist-deep in the water, shivering with arms crossed over their chests.
Estamos enfadados porque, cuando te abren, la puerta significa que eres bienvenido. A mí me han abierto la puerta, y entré entre los militares marroquís y españoles, me han dado la mano para que pase.
He complained that the city did not share the impulse they felt when they crossed. Everything was closed. No work, no shelter, no water. Thousands spent the afternoon retracing their steps.
- Arrivals (Spanish govt estimate)
- 50000 people
- Arrivals (Ceuta govt estimate)
- 60000 people
- Returns (Interior Ministry, official)
- 48300 people
- Returns (police sources, 20:00 Fri)
- 53000 people
Moroccan crackdown
On the Moroccan side, the police response escalated sharply on Friday. In Castillejos, the border town nearest to Ceuta, officers deployed riot gear, tear gas, and water cannons to push crowds back. Security forces swept the surrounding mountains to clear people still hiding or waiting for another chance to approach the border. The road bore visible scars: dozens of burnt-out vehicles, scattered stones, damaged asphalt, and debris from the clashes that had been building since Tuesday.
Goods and people also flowed in the opposite direction. Many of those now in Castillejos said they decided to cross only after watching videos on social media claiming the border was open and showing groups successfully entering Ceuta.
European repercussions
Italy suspended the Schengen agreement with Spain for non-EU travellers. France and the United Kingdom offered support. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the entry as a violation of Spain's territorial integrity. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated that practically all those who entered Ceuta had already returned to Morocco. The Spanish government blamed human trafficking networks for orchestrating the movement. Local authorities and the army remained deployed on the beaches of El Tarajal to prevent further sea arrivals.
