Spain is installing a floating barrier in Ceuta after a massive surge of migrants from Morocco, which resulted in at least 67 deaths. Thousands entered the Spanish enclave, straining resources and prompting an EU call for an emergency meeting on border security. Spain insists it is managing the situation with Moroccan cooperation and reinforcing controls to protect the Schengen area.
/cloudfront/public/2021-05/GETTY-CEUTA-MIGRANTS-SPAIN-20210518T184606Z_1_LYNXMPEH4H1G4_RTRMADT_8_SPAIN-MIGRANTS.JPG "Spain Deploys Floating Barrier After Massive Migrant Influx to Ceuta; EU Divided")
Spain has initiated the installation of a 500-meter floating barrier at the Tarajal breakwater in its North African enclave of Ceuta, following an unprecedented surge of tens of thousands of migrants. The mass crossing, which saw an estimated 50,000 people enter Ceuta by land and sea from Morocco in just a few days, resulted in at least 67 deaths. Spanish authorities reported that over 48,000 of these individuals have already returned to Morocco within 48 hours.
The new barrier, consisting of pneumatic floats and anchored naval buoys, is designed to extend both above and below the water's surface, creating a channel for patrol vessels. This measure comes after a period of intense pressure on Ceuta's border, one of the European Union's few land crossings with Africa.
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska described Morocco as a "fully reliable partner" and stated that order had largely been restored, though he cautioned that the situation remained fragile. He attributed the influx to people-smuggling networks exploiting vulnerable migrants and misinterpreting legal rulings. Despite this, he noted a lack of prior intelligence indicating an imminent mass entry.
EU Governments Call for Emergency Meeting
The crisis has exposed divisions within the European Union. Twenty-two EU governments have requested an emergency meeting of interior ministers to address the situation in Ceuta and discuss border security. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of Spain has urged EU leaders to convene this meeting, while also criticizing member states that have called for Spain's exclusion from the Schengen Area. Italy's government had previously announced a one-month suspension of Schengen arrangements with Spain.
The EU governments, in a letter to the presiding country Ireland, emphasized that the crossings challenge the EU's external borders and could encourage further irregular migration. They called for a unified response, potentially including increased support from the EU border agency Frontex and a review of cooperation with Morocco. France, Luxembourg, and Portugal were among the countries that did not sign the letter.
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Schengen Pressure and Spain's Stance
Spain has affirmed that individuals who entered Ceuta irregularly will not be permitted to travel to mainland Spain or other Schengen zone countries. The Spanish Foreign Ministry highlighted that identity checks are conducted for travelers departing Ceuta by sea or air, serving as an additional layer of security beyond the land border with Morocco.
While Spain has historically adopted a more open approach to migrants, offering residency to a significant number of undocumented individuals, it strongly refutes the notion that its regularization program encouraged this recent surge. The government maintains that applicants for residency must meet strict criteria, including proof of prior residence in Spain.
Prime Minister Sanchez, who visited Ceuta following the incident, condemned the crossings as a breach of Spanish territorial sovereignty and confirmed that returns are being expedited with Morocco's cooperation.
