![One of the mass graves discovered in an excavation from July–August of 2014 at Estépar ( Burgos ). Dating from the start of the Spanish Civil War , the grave contains twenty-six republicans who were killed by nationalists in August-September 1936, possibly released prisoners on September 29 and 30, 1936 and part of a purge of 2500 executions in the area. For more information in English, see [1] (Note: goes rather political at the end of that source).](/assets/images/2026-07-31T10-48-10-953Z-nine-dead-as-40-000-migrants-swim-from-morocco-to-spain-s-ceuta-wikimedia-1280.webp)
At least 34 people have died attempting to reach the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco, according to Spanish authorities. Over the past 24 hours, around 60,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta via land and sea, with more than 37,500 returning to Morocco since then.
Officials are urging the Spanish government to declare a national emergency in response to the unprecedented influx. Many migrants spent hours at sea, some reportedly over four hours, hoping to obtain asylum in the European Union.
It remains unclear what triggered the sudden surge, though Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has attributed the influx to criminal networks.
The situation highlights ongoing migration challenges at the Europe-Africa border, with Ceuta—a Spanish territory on the North African coast—being a key entry point.
Loading comments.