Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, his interior minister and military personnel were bound for the North African enclave of Ceuta on Friday, a day after thousands of people gained irregular entry to the Spanish territory.
At least 18 people died as tens of thousands of people rushed into the small coastal city, many of them drowning but some also perishing in a stampede to cross the breakwater fence.
Authorities are still puzzling over what prompted such large crowds to suddenly seek entry.
People ‘still entering’ Ceuta despite reinforcements
Preliminary estimates suggest that tens of thousands gained entry on Thursday alone as the Guardia Civil lost control of the border to Morocco.
Spanish news agency EFE cited security force estimates as saying around 49,000 people had entered Ceuta irregularly from Morocco in recent days. Around 24 hours earlier, prior to the mass breach, estimates had stood at between 1,500 and 2,000.
Government sources have yet to release an no official figure as yet. Reuters attributed the same figure of 49,000 to the interior ministry, while AFP cited a police source as saying more than 40,000 were thought to have entered.
Ceuta’s population is roughly 85,000 people.
“People are still entering. The reinforcements that have arrived are only helping the injured and other humanitarian efforts,” Rachid
Both EFE and AP said correspondents observed some people seeking to return to Morocco on Friday, with the city’s small migrant reception center completely overwhelmed.
Prime miniser and interior minister expected in the city
Spain’s government said on Friday that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez would accompany Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska on an impromptu visit to the city.
The Interior Ministry also said on Thursday that it was deploying millitary personnel to assist at the border.
Spain has two enclaves, Ceuta and Mellila, on the North African coast bordering Morocco.
Local authorities had already noted an uptick, but on a much smaller scale, of people seeking to swim around Ceuta’s border checks prior in the days prior to Thursday’s rush.
A similar crisis hit Ceuta in 2021, when more than 8,000 people are thought to have entered irregularly in a matter of days.
Italy, Finnish minister question Spain’s Schengen status
Italy and France both announced they would temporarily boost border checks with Spain.
“In response to the situation observed in the Ceuta enclave, I gave instructions as of last night to immediately strengthen the controls at the Spanish border. Furthermore, I am activating the Rapid Intervention Border Force for in-depth checks,” French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez wrote online early on Friday.
Italian right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had on Thursday called for the “suspension” of Spain’s Schengen membership. On Friday, Finland’s Interior Minister, a member of the right-wing populist Finns party that’s the second-largest in Helsinki’s coalition government, said she supported the proposal.
“Spain has completely failed to protect the Schengen Area’s external border from infiltration. This cannot continue. All European countries must support Meloni’s proposal,” Mari Rantanen wrote on Friday.
Edited by: Darko Janjevic
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