At least 18 die trying to cross to Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco

At least 18 people have died trying to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta after about 49,000 migrants breached the border with Morocco and poured into the tiny territory.

Spain sent ​military and police reinforcements to Ceuta on Thursday after people crossed by land and sea. Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, is expected to join the interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, on a visit to Ceuta on Friday morning.

Rachid Sbihi, who leads a local workers association representing Civil Guard officers, described the situation as a “serious humanitarian crisis”. He said: “People are still entering. The reinforcements that have arrived are only helping the injured and other humanitarian efforts.”

Without shelter, thousands of people including unaccompanied children were left sleeping in parks and on pavements while others roamed the streets aimlessly, Sbihi said. “It’s chaotic.”

Among the 18 who died, many drowned but some were killed in a crush to cross the breakwater fence at Tarajal beach, Sbihi said.

Video footage on Thursday showed crowds of people walking around the breakwaters at Tarajal beach on to local roads. While most appeared to be young men, there were also families with women and small children.

“Viva España!” some shouted to a freelance photographer working for the AP. It was not immediately clear what prompted so many people to cross to Ceuta.

Ceuta, along with Melilla, ⁠another Spanish autonomous city in northern ​Morocco, has the E​’s only land border with ​Africa. ‌Both cities ​periodically ​experience surges in attempted crossings by migrants seeking to reach Europe.