Spain Says Ceuta Crossings Halted After Deploying Floating Barrier: Top Updates On Migrant Crisis
Spain Says Ceuta Crossings Halted After Deploying Floating Barrier: Top Updates On Migrant Crisis Published By, Last Updated: August 02, 2026, 07:52 IST Spain said
Spain Says Ceuta Crossings Halted After Deploying Floating Barrier: Top Updates On Migrant Crisis Published By, Last Updated: August 02, 2026, 07:52 IST Spain said they managed to stem the migrant tide rushing to Europe via its land border with Africa in Ceuta. The crisis prompted Italy to suspend Schengen arrangements with Spain. Rapid Read Spain's authorities said they have managed to stem the tide of migrants rushing into Europe through its land border with Africa in Ceuta. (Image source: Reuters) Migrant crossings into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta dropped to near zero overnight, officials said, as authorities began installing a floating barrier along the border with Morocco after a deadly surge that killed at least 67 people, Reuters reported. The rush saw around 50,000 people enter Ceuta by land and sea since Thursday. Spain said more than 48,000 were sent back to Morocco within 48 hours, marking one of the largest crossings at a European Union land border.
Barrier Installed As Crossings Halt On Saturday morning, Civil Guard officers began laying a 500-metre floating barrier off Tarajal beach, a key entry point into the enclave. The structure includes inflatable segments and anchored buoys, rising up to 70 centimetres above water and extending about a metre below the surface. Authorities said a controlled channel between the barriers will allow patrol boats to monitor the area. Reuters footage showed soldiers and police patrolling an almost empty beach covered in fog. Spain said the measures helped restore order within a day, though security forces will remain deployed. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska blamed smuggling networks for spreading misinformation and exploiting vulnerable migrants. EU Alarm, Political Tensions Rise The crisis has triggered concern across the European Union. Twenty-two member states called for coordinated action to secure external borders. Ireland, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, has convened an emergency meeting of interior ministers.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez criticised Italy’s move to suspend Schengen travel arrangements with Spain for a month. He called the decision “selfish" and said such steps risk undermining unity within the bloc. At least 67 bodies have been recovered on the Spanish side, with many migrants drowning or being crushed while trying to scale barriers and breakwaters. Officials said economic hardship and viral social media claims drove many to attempt the crossing. Spain maintains that migrants who enter Ceuta irregularly cannot move onward to mainland Spain or the wider Schengen zone. Authorities also conduct identity checks on travellers leaving the enclave by air or sea. While Spain has taken a relatively open stance on migration, including a plan to grant residency to over 500,000 undocumented people, it rejected claims that the policy triggered the surge. Officials said applicants must prove they were already living in Spain before January 1, 2026, and meet residency requirements.
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