麻豆社

Why did tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco suddenly attempt to cross into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta by sea last week? In the days since the sudden border crisis left at least 72 people dead, a variety of theories have circulated.

The Trump administration blamed the incident on 鈥渞adical left-wing globalist policies鈥�, and many European leaders condemned what they say is Spain鈥檚 lax immigration policy. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez denied those claims and blamed trafficking gangs. Others have blamed Morocco, and accused it of 鈥榳eaponising鈥� migrants for political purposes.

We speak to the 麻豆社鈥檚 Southern and Eastern Europe correspondent, Sarah Rainsford, to find out how and why the Ceuta crisis happened.

(Photo: Hundreds of migrants swim across to Ceuta, Spain from Morocco. Credit: Reduan Dris/EPA/Shutterstock)

Producer: Aron Keller and Cat Farnsworth

Executive producer: James Shield

Sound engineer: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins