Over 50,000 people swam from Morocco to Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa, and most later left voluntarily, reports infohub.kz.
According to the BBC, the migrants said they were driven to take the risk by rumors that the border would be opened. The rumors are thought to have been stoked by a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that prevents the enclave's authorities from automatically sending back to Morocco anyone who enters Ceuta and Melilla — another Spanish enclave on the African shore — by sea. Criminal gangs may have exploited the situation.
There had been earlier attempts to break into the enclave, but this was the largest. Spanish authorities called it an invasion and deployed the army to the enclave. Fifty-seven people died in the unrest.
Italy is considering temporarily introducing border controls on its border with Spain. Finland's Foreign Ministry also supports the initiative.
Earlier, the Kursiv publication reported that due to the border breach, Morocco and Spain signed an urgent agreement to deport all illegal entrants.