Chaos has taken hold in Ceuta following a dramatic turn of events at the border in recent days. The sudden influx of 60,000 migrants from Morocco into the Spanish territory has brought the situation into sharp focus globally.
Amid the crisis, a video went viral on social media. The purported clip, captured on a selfie stick, showed a Moroccan man filming himself as he swims through open water toward Ceuta.
Holding the selfie stick out in front of him, the man recorded his own swim through the water during a major surge in border crossings into the Spanish territory.
Also Read | Ceuta migrant crisis latest update: Death toll rises to 57 as thousands return to Morocco
Throughout the video, the man maintained his grip on the selfie stick to capture the journey on camera as he navigated the route.
HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
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What happened in Ceuta?
Myriam Cherti, a senior researcher at the University of Oxford’s Centre on Migration, Policy and Society, said that the reason for what triggered the migrants to cross over to Ceuta remains unclear, reported AP.
Roughly 60,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco on Thursday and Friday, local Spanish officials said. At least 57 died attempting the crossing either by drowning or in a stampede.
Meanwhile, around 45,000 had returned to Moroccan territory after many spent the night on the streets of Ceuta.
Speaking about his years of education, Buji told AP, “I’ve spent perhaps 14 years studying, but there’s nothing at home, and I’d have to work 12-hour shifts for a meager wage.”
“That’s why I came here, but I haven’t found any opportunities here either, so I have to go back,” he said.