2 days ago
Over 80 Irregular Immigrants Swim to Ceuta in Summer's Largest Irregular Migration Wave
Rabat — More than 80 people swam to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Saturday in the largest irregular immigration wave of the summer.
The group included at least 50 Moroccan and Palestinian minors who braved dangerous sea conditions marked by strong swells and thick coastal fog.
Spanish media outlet El Faro de Ceuta reported that rescue operations stretched from Friday afternoon through Saturday night.
Spanish maritime units and divers from the Civil Guard's Special Underwater Activities Group (GEAS) worked intensively to save lives in the treacherous waters.
The news outlet indicated that official reports confirm that rescuers saved 54 minors and around 30 adults. Most swimmers are reportedly Moroccan, with several Palestinians among them.
Children scatter through city streets
Despite increased security measures, several minors managed to slip away into different neighborhoods of Ceuta. This suggests the actual number of arrivals may exceed official figures released by authorities.
Local authorities immediately transferred the rescued children to temporary reception centers. They also called on the central government to provide emergency assistance to handle the influx.
August brings annual migration surge
August typically sees a spike in migration attempts to the Ceuta enclave each year, with structural and situational factors driving this pattern, including poverty and unemployment in the region.
This time, migrants took advantage of the dense fog that affects Morocco's northern coasts during this period, reducing the effectiveness of maritime radars and making irregular crossings easier to attempt undetected.
Morocco's efforts to counter irregular immigration
In response to the pressuring irregular immigration challenges across its borders, Morocco succeeded in preventing a total of 78,685 attempts in 2024.
The North African country has shown firm response to the growing number of irregular immigration and related practices.
Moroccan authorities dismantled 332 human trafficking networks during the same year, defying these groups' collaborative criminal operations.
Most intercepted migrants came from West Africa, accounting for 58% of the total, while migrants from the Maghreb represented 12%, and 9% came from East and Central African countries. Tags: ceutaIrregular immigrantsirregular immigration
