Last Thursday, Guardia Civil teams carried out intensive rescue operations along Ceuta’s maritime border as migrants tried to reach Spanish territory by sea. One of the most critical incidents involved the rescue of a three-year-old boy, his pregnant mother and his father, who had spent hours in the water before being brought to safety. The family, originally from Larache, Morocco, was found clinging to a float. The child was suffering from hypothermia, and his mother was visibly distressed. Officers said bringing them ashore within minutes brought relief and a rare moment of joy amid a broader humanitarian crisis.
Officers said the crossings quickly overwhelmed available resources. Boats were filled beyond capacity, and teams coordinated closely to prioritize the most vulnerable cases. Captain Roberto García, head of the Maritime Service, reported that his unit rescued 10,000 people from the water last year alone. On the day of the mass crossing, more than 72,000 people attempted to enter Ceuta from Morocco. Divers from the Special Group for Underwater Activities (GEAS) were sent to reach inaccessible areas and recover bodies. In 2025, GEAS teams retrieved 46 deceased migrants from the sea, a figure that reflects the deadly risks of these crossings.
Chaotic conditions at the Tarajal breakwater further complicated rescue operations, as hundreds of migrants tried to climb over rocks or struggled in the water. Officers said they formed human chains to prevent people from drowning, while Red Cross volunteers and other emergency personnel helped from shore. In one widely circulated image, a GEAS diver is seen saving a baby from a sea crowded with desperate swimmers. Conditions grew so dangerous that boats could no longer be used safely. Rescuers had to enter the water directly to assist families and children.
The rise in sea crossings has been linked to a Supreme Court ruling prohibiting immediate returns to Morocco for people who swim across, citing the absence of physical border barriers. Combined with poor weather that limits Moroccan patrols, the legal change has led to a sharp increase in attempts. In response, the Spanish government installed a 500-meter floating barrier near the breakwater to allow legal pushbacks. Most people attempting the crossing in recent weeks have come from northern Morocco, and entire families are now risking the journey. Officers recounted dramatic rescues, including that of a young man missing an arm, whom fellow migrants applauded after he reached safety.
The mass arrivals of July 30 and 31, 2026, were followed by a separate dispute over how the state processed migrants’ cases and returns. On September 16, Ceuta’s government formally asked the basic administration to issue decisions on expulsion, return and international-protection applications within a month. On October 20, the city announced plans to bring a contentious-administrative case before Spain’s Supreme Court, alleging that the central government had not provided enough staff and resources to process the files.
The dispute also reflects differing definitions of a “return.” Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas said that three months after the arrivals there had been “no return by administrative resolution.” The Spanish government, meanwhile, cited 12,705 returns from Ceuta to Morocco since August 10 and said 3,331 minors had been identified, information from figures reported by Demócrata. The government’s aggregate return total includes voluntary returns and those connected with criminal conduct. It is so distinct from formal administrative expulsions under ordinary immigration procedures.
Ceuta spokesperson Alejandro Ramírez said that more than 7,000 adults remained in camps and that the crisis would not be resolved by December 31, 2026, a deadline referenced in the local security structure. Vivas separately estimated that about 15,000 people remained in Ceuta. The figures describe different groups: the larger estimate covers people remaining in the city, while the camp figure refers specifically to adults accommodated in camp facilities. The local government said it was assessing the basic administration’s response as it considered its next steps.
Medical emergencies have become common, with many migrants suffering from hypothermia or exhaustion, while others are in shock. In one case, a Maritime Service officer performed CPR on a man with no pulse and saved his life, according to medical staff. The relentless pace of rescues has left teams physically and emotionally drained, but officers say their duty is to provide assistance regardless of the risks. The ongoing crisis has also prompted policy changes, detailed in a recent report on the government’s deployment of a floating barrier and new pushback measures at Ceuta. Read the analysis of Spain’s border response.
Ceuta’s position as a Spanish enclave bordering Morocco has made it a focal point for irregular migration in recent years. Supported by reinforcements, the city’s rescue teams continue to face high-risk situations as migrants seek new routes into Europe. Authorities must balance legal obligations with operational safety and the urgent need to save lives at sea.
