Dozens of migrants who crossed into Ceuta reached mainland Spain, Sky News told

Dozens of migrants reached the Spanish mainland after entering Ceuta during the mass influx into the enclave, police sources have told Sky News.

Spanish sources in Andalucia said that around 75 migrants out of the estimated 72,000 who entered Ceuta illegally in a mass rush to the border at the end of July had reached the mainland.

Ceuta is less than 15 nautical miles from Spain's southern coast. Migrant boats can make the journey in between one and three hours.

Police sources said that on 1 August - just days after the mass influx in Ceuta - a group of around 20 Moroccan migrants reached Punta Carnero, Algeciras.

Only four of them were arrested by Spanish national police, while the others escaped.

The sources added that on Friday, the Civil Guard intercepted another migrant boat in Punta Carnero with eight migrants.

On Saturday evening, a boat carrying 10 migrants reached the beach of San Roque. A couple of hours later, a second boat arrived at Poniente beach with 20 migrants.

And, on Sunday, the sources said Spanish national police intercepted two migrant boats carrying a total of 17 people in Ballenera, Algeciras, and La Linea de la Concepcion in Levante.

Police sources told Sky News that the crossings were a "worrying reactivation" of the Gibraltar Strait migration route - where boats usually approach the Spanish coast and leave migrants near the shore, forcing them to swim to reach land and then escape authorities.

In the wake of the crossing, Spanish authorities said that at least 80 migrants died, including some who drowned and others who were killed in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier.

Morocco reported 11 deaths on its side of the border. Spain estimated that around 69,500 of the migrants were returned in the first four days after the event.

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The crisis sparked anti-immigration rhetoric across Europe and diplomatic tensions within the European Union over border policy, with Spain accusing some partners of an "unhelpful and polarising" response.

Italy also temporarily suspended its open-border Schengen agreement with Spain, re-imposing border controls for air and sea, until at least 15 August

In return, Spain imposed tit-for-tat measures, saying passport, nationality and visa checks would be conducted for Italian passengers and visitors from other countries arriving from Italy ‌until 7 September.

On Saturday, Spain's interior ministry said it had carried out checks on a total of 199 people on 12 flights from Italy to airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante and Valencia.

(c) Sky News 2026: Dozens of migrants who crossed into Ceuta reached mainland Spain, Sky News told