At least 54 children and 30 adults swam from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in dangerous conditions, Spanish media reported Saturday.
Thick fog and choppy waters did not deter the migrants, most of them Moroccan, from making the perilous crossing to European soil. Footage from RTVE showed Spanish Civil Guard vessels racing through the surf, rescuing some swimmers while others reached land unaided.
The children were transferred to temporary centres in Ceuta, prompting urgent calls for help from Spain’s central government. “Don’t leave us alone. This is a matter of state,” said Juan Rivas from the Ceuta regional administration, urging immediate support.
The episode echoes previous crossings, including one last year when hundreds used dense mist to swim to Ceuta in a coordinated surge. In 2021, a boy was filmed clinging to plastic bottles as flotation, a haunting image of desperation that still lingers in Spanish memory.
Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s two enclaves on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast, form the European Union’s only land borders with Africa. The enclaves frequently see waves of crossings, with migrants risking their lives in search of safety or opportunity in Europe.
Moroccan adults caught during such attempts are usually deported swiftly, while unaccompanied minors or asylum seekers remain under protection. Migrants of other nationalities are often housed briefly in shelters before being released pending further legal steps.
In 2022, tragedy struck when 23 people died in a crush as some 2,000 migrants stormed the Melilla fence in a mass crossing attempt. The latest arrivals underscore the unrelenting human tide pressing at Europe’s borders, propelled by hope, hardship, and peril.