Spain and Morocco reinforced the border fence of a Spanish enclave on Friday (July 31) and appeared to have halted mass crossings, after around 49,000 people arrived by sea and land in a single day, with at least 19 dead bodies found in the water.

The mass crossing into Ceuta, a Spanish-held spit jutting into the Mediterranean from Morocco, caused division in Europe, with Italy threatening to suspend the EU's internal open border scheme.

At the gates into Ceuta, Moroccan authorities had deployed water cannon trucks and pushed people back. Spanish authorities said they would try to expel those who had entered illegally as quickly as possible, despite a court ruling that has put some new restrictions on special "border rejection" rules that allow immediate expulsions.

People also started to return to Morocco on Friday, a migrant from Tangier, Reda (last name not given), said the crossing was not a good experience. He was returning and appealed to others not to attempt the crossing.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was due to visit Ceuta on Friday with Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. Ceuta and ‌Melilla, another Spanish autonomous city in northern Morocco, have the European Union's only land borders with Africa. The two cities are each home to around 85,000 people.

Both cities periodically experience surges in attempted crossings by migrants seeking to reach Europe, but nearly 50,000 crossings in a single day appears to be unprecedented. Spain described it as the biggest crisis since at least 2021.

Territorial Policy Minister Angel Victor Torres said on Friday that among factors contributing to the surge may have been a ruling by Spain's Supreme Court earlier this month that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot be summarily returned under special rules.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

REFILE: Migrants return to Morocco after crossing to Spain's Ceuta

VIDEO SHOWS: MIGRANTS RETURNING TO MOROCCO AFTER CROSSING SPAIN'S CEUTA BORDER / SPANISH MILITARY AT THE BORDER CROSSING

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: REFILING EDIT TO ADD REPORTER QUESTION TO TRANSLATION IN SHOT 6 AND TO AMEND FLOW OF TRANSLATION. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE MADE TO THE SOUNDBITE TRANSLATION.

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: CEUTA, SPAIN (JULY 31, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CLIMBING ROCKS AND GOING BACK INTO THE SEA TO GET AROUND BORDER FENCE

2. PEOPLE HELPING EACH OTHER CRAWL THROUGH HOLE IN FENCE

3. PEOPLE ON BEACH, GUARDIA CIVIL DIRECTING PEOPLE WHERE TO GO

4. MAN IN WATER WITH INFLATABLE SWIM RING

5. CROWDS ON BEACH

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MIGRANT FROM TANGIER RETURNING TO MOROCCO, REDA (LAST NAME NOT GIVEN), SAYING:

"To be honest, I don’t even know why I’ve come. I’m heading back now. It's that simple. Let God’s will be done. (REPORTER ASKING: "You spent the evening away, did you eat, have dinner?") No, I haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday. Although I did bring some money with me. Just for taxis and stuff. And that’s it. That’s all I can tell you. I haven’t slept yet."

7. PEOPLE GOING THROUGH HOLE IN FENCE

8. SIGN READING (Spanish) "TARAJAL BEACH / END OF SWIMMING ZONE"

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MIGRANT FROM TANGIER RETURNING TO MOROCCO, REDA (LAST NAME NOT GIVEN), SAYING:

"What we were doing it’s not good at all, and it’s not fun either. What’s more, I mean, people are dying here. I beg you, please, if you haven’t come yet, don’t come. Don’t do it. Let’s not upset our mums and dads. Thank you."

10. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CLIMBING ROCKS, GOING THROUGH HOLES IN FENCE

11. SPANISH MILITARY PERSONNEL AND VEHICLES

12. CROWD ON ELEVATED STREET LOOKING OUT ONTO BEACH

13. VARIOUS OF SPANISH MILITARY OVERLOOKING STREET AND BEACH AT BORDER CROSSING

14. PEOPLE CRAWLING THROUGH HOLE IN FENCE

15. PEOPLE ON BEACH

16. PEOPLE GOING THROUGH FENCE

17. VARIOUS OF GROUP OF BOYS SITTING ON BOULDER OVERLOOKING THE SEA, CITY BUILDINGS IN BACKGROUND