Hundreds of migrants swim from Morocco to Spanish enclave of Ceuta

Hundreds of migrants have entered Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco over the past week, the territory’s leader has said.

Juan Jesús Vivas said the influx is overwhelming resources and urged the Spanish government to intervene. Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska is expected to visit on Friday, according to news agency Reuters.

Footage showed migrants swimming and using inflatable rings and other flotation devices to swim to Ceuta on Thursday, while others ran through a gate in the border fence.

Ceuta, on Morocco’s northern coast, is separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar and has long been a focal point for migrants attempting to reach Europe.

Earlier this month, the country’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants intercepted at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.

Spain’s interior ministry said they believed human trafficking networks were exploiting that ruling to “encourage the flow of undocumented migrants, mostly young people”.

They said they cooperate with Morocco on all areas, including migration, and that both countries have agreed to strengthen efforts to address matter, including “the handover, as soon as possible, of all people who have entered Ceuta illegally”.