The death toll from last week’s mass migrant surge into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta has risen to about 100, according to the city’s leader, Juan Jesus Vivas.
Speaking at a European Parliament meeting on Thursday, Vivas said between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remain in Ceuta following the unprecedented border rush, which has triggered fresh concerns over migration and border security across Europe.
The incident has intensified pressure on European Union leaders to strengthen the bloc’s external borders and improve cooperation with neighbouring countries.
Addressing the same meeting, the EU Commissioner for Migration, Magnus Brunner, warned that Europe remains vulnerable if the security of its borders depends solely on the goodwill of neighbouring states.
Brunner stressed that while cooperation with countries outside the EU is essential, the bloc must develop stronger and more sustainable border management measures to prevent similar crises in the future.
The Ceuta border surge has sparked renewed debate over the EU’s migration policy and burden-sharing among member states, with several governments calling for tighter border controls and a more coordinated response to irregular migration.
