At least 12 people have died while attempting to swim from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in one of the deadliest mass crossing attempts in years.

Spain has been forced to deploy the Army to help overwhelmed border officers cope after thousands of Moroccan men, women and children continued to storm the border throughout Thursday.

Authorities have so far recovered 12 bodies from the sea over the past 24 hours, bringing the number of migrant deaths in Ceuta’s waters this year to 40.

Nine of the bodies were recovered on Thursday, while three others were found between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.

Thousands of migrants have continued entering Ceuta by swimming around the Tarajal breakwater or walking along it, with scenes on Thursday showing large crowds making the dangerous journey.

Local police sources quoted by Spanish media estimate that more than 10,000 irregular entries may already have taken place, although the official figure hasn’t been confirmed.

That would put it on a par with the May 2021 migration crisis, when around the same number of migrants entered Ceuta over two days after Morocco relaxed border controls.

The Spanish government has deployed the Army to reinforce the Guardia Civil, whose resources have been stretched by the sharp increase in arrivals.

According to the government, the Armed Forces will support them by maintaining security around the city, particularly along the Tarajal border, while operational command remains with the police.

Around 60 officers from the Guardia Civil’s Reserve and Security Group (ARS) were already assigned to border duties.

They have now been joined by an additional 20 soldiers, with 40 more expected to arrive in the coming hours, taking the total military presence to more than 100 personnel.

The troops will assist with surveillance, perimeter security and logistical support but will not assume civilian policing powers or operate under a state of emergency.

Spain and Morocco also announced on Thursday that they would strengthen cooperation to tackle the crisis, including accelerating the return of people who entered Ceuta illegally.

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska is due to visit the enclave on Friday, while Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said the government is mobilising all available resources to restore order.

The latest fatalities mean the death toll in Ceuta’s waters is already approaching the 46 migrant deaths recorded during the whole of 2025, with five months of the year still remaining.