HUNDREDS of migrants have stormed a second Spanish enclave with shots fired at the border after up to 49,000 entered Ceuta in the past 24 hours.
North Africans made the dangerous passage from Morocco to the two European territories on Thursday as they swarmed the beaches by sea and land sparking chaos among furious Spaniards.
Spanish soldiers patrol at the Spanish-Moroccan border in Ceuta, Spain Credit: Reuters
Thousands of migrants gather around a torched vehicle while waiting for a chance to cross to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta Credit: Reuters
Spain’s Interior Ministry said it estimates up to 49,000 migrants had crossed into the enclave of Ceuta over the past 24 hours.
The worrying figure is the equivalent to the population of Aylesbury.
At least 18 people died, mainly from drowning in the water, as they tried to make the crossing, they added.
Border police and local officials have struggled to contain the surging numbers as tensions quickly boiled over as locals clashed with the migrants on the streets.
Migrants walk through the Spanish enclave of Ceuta celebrating their passage Credit: Reuters
The Spanish army in Ceuta watch on as migrants cross into the enclave by sea and land Credit: Reuters
Police watch as migrants climb onto rocks to try to cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta Credit: AP
Hundreds of migrants swam from Morocco Credit: Getty
Many were seen waving Spanish flags and screaming as they attempted to push back the migrants and chase them away.
Residents are reportedly now fearing for their safety amid a high risk of looting and riots.
Local business owners opted to keep their shutters down as thousands entered the city centre.
The Spanish Army was even mobilised with tanks seen driving towards Ceuta streets to keep a close eye on any further issues.
The chaos in Ceuta has now also spread to Spain’s second North African enclave of Melilla.
The Beni-Enza border between Morocco and Spain was closed last night after hundreds of North Africans crossed into Melilla too.
Melilla’s President Juan Jose Imbroda said he believes between 300 and 400 Moroccans breached the border.
He went on to admit the thousands of people entering Ceuta “could occur here as well”.
The alarm was triggered shortly after 10pm last night when the first migrants attempted to enter the city at the same time from different points along the border perimeter.
Cars were seen burning on the streets back on the Moroccan side of the Melilla border as hundreds waited their turn to try and breach the border.
In most cases they got into the Spanish autonomous city by walking along the Tarajal breakwater, a stone barrier marking the maritime border where Europe meets Morocco, and jumping into the sea.
Many of the fires were reportedly sparked by frustrated arsonists who have been constantly denied a passage into European soil.
Army officials were put on standby as police struggled to contain what appeared to be an organised attempt to catch security forces off guard.
Warning shots were reportedly fired into the air from both sides of the border between Melilla and Morocco.
and blamed for the recent numbers being so high.
A ruling stated that migrants who arrive by sea should not be subject to immediate expulsion as they are not crossing a physical land border.
The decision and brought with it a wave of undocumented migration.
In response, Italian PM declared she is prepared to ban Spain from the Schengen area.
She wrote on X: “The images coming from Ceuta are striking and demonstrate, once again, that uncontrolled illegal poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe’s borders.”
‘s socialist government stands out for its pro-migration stance.
It has recently launched a scheme to provide legal status to 500,000 undocumented migrants and received a huge influx of applications.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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