Thousands of migrants still in Ceuta as some 'basically impossible' to return

Ceuta's leader said between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants are still in the north African territory. 21:43, Thu, Aug 6, 2026 Updated: 21:43, Thu, Aug 6, 2026 Between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants are believed to remain in Ceuta after last week's influx (file picture) (Image: REDUAN/EPA/Shutterstock)Thousands of migrants remain in the Spanish territory of Ceuta almost a week after a mass crossing from Morocco, with the enclave's leader warning some are "basically impossible" to return. Juan Jesús Vivas said between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants are still in the north African territory despite nearly 75,000 people having already been returned to Morocco following last week's unprecedented influx.Addressing the European Parliament on Thursday, Mr Vivas spoke of his "profound sorrow" over the "irreparable tragedy" that claimed around 100 lives after roughly 78,000 migrants arrived by sea in a matter of hours. His comments came as Moroccan media reported fresh calls circulating on social media and WhatsApp groups encouraging another mass attempt to reach the Spanish enclave. Mr Vivas criticised the Spanish Government's response to the crisis, saying he had personally warned Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez...