At least 18 migrants died as tens of thousands crossed from Morocco into the Spanish territory of Ceuta over the past 24 hours, prompting Spain to deploy its military, officials said Friday.
Spain's Interior Ministry reported the death toll and said nearly 50,000 people had entered the tiny North African exclave. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was expected to arrive in Ceuta later in the day.
The influx began after a large group breached the border fence and poured into the territory, according to Spanish officials. Thousands of migrants, many from sub-Saharan Africa, were seen swimming along the coast or climbing over the barrier.
Spain has sent army units to help restore order in Ceuta, which shares a land border with Morocco. The deployment came as authorities struggled to process the sudden surge of arrivals.
No details were given on how the migrants died. The Moroccan and Spanish governments have not yet issued a joint statement on the incident.
Ceuta, a Spanish exclave on the Moroccan coast, has long been a flashpoint for migration into Europe. This is one of the largest single-day crossings in recent years.