MADRID (Reuters) – More than 200 migrants crossed into Spain’s North African enclave of Melilla early on Thursday, climbing the high fence that separates it from Morocco, local authorities said.
More than 300 migrants attempted to scale the six-metre (20-ft) fence using hooks, the authorities said in a statement. The 238 who made it through were all men. Three police officers were slightly injured, the statement added.
Melilla and Ceuta – a second Spanish enclave also on Africa’s Mediterranean coast – are popular crossing points for African migrants seeking to enter Europe illegally.
Around 8,000 people swam into Ceuta or clambered over the border fence in May after Moroccan authorities appeared to loosen controls for a couple of days, prompting Spain to deploy troops and extra police.
Official data on migratory flows to Ceuta and Melilla were still being updated after the surge in illegal crossings in May, while overall numbers intercepted crossing into Spain rose 57.5% to 13,483 as of the end of June.
(Reporting by Emma Pinedo, Editing by Inti Landauro and Joe Bavier)
