At least 5,000 illegal immigrants have poured into Ceuta, Spain’s overseas dependency in North Africa, from neighboring Morocco, a record number for a single day, Spanish officials said.
A spokesman for the Spanish government delegation in Ceuta said the influx of illegal immigrants into Ceuta was unprecedented and likely to continue to grow.
The spokesman said the migrants were arriving in Ceuta by swimming, or walking several kilometers from Moroccan beaches at low tide. One of the illegal immigrants in the group drowned on the way.
The Spanish government delegation in Ceuta initially counted 100 illegal immigrants arriving in the morning, mostly young men, but also children and some women, who arrived in inflatable swimming rings and rubber dinghies.
At low tide, others made it to Ceuta almost by walking, and the number of illegal immigrants climbed rapidly throughout the day, the spokesman said.
The migrants were checked by the Red Cross and then taken to a reception center at El Tarajal beach. With today’s record number of illegal immigrants in a single day, authorities are meeting to discuss what to do about it.
In a statement released late this evening, the Spanish Interior Ministry said it “will immediately deploy additional People’s Guard and National Police officers” to Ceuta, bringing the total to 200.
Videos posted on social media show the migrants departing from the rocky beach, some in beachwear and others in general outdoor clothing.
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