Ceuta officials testify they saw Moroccan vessels before mass arrivals

Two senior Spanish security officials testified in a court inquiry in Spain about a large arrival of migrants in Ceuta, a Spanish city on the North African coast.

The Guardia Civil operations chief said he saw six Moroccan vessels near Ceuta the night before the arrivals, including patrol boats and smaller craft.

He said he told the government’s local representative he thought the vessels were there to prevent people from entering.

The Policía Nacional official also confirmed Moroccan vessels were in the area, along with a Spanish frigate.

On the morning of the arrivals, the two officials disagreed over the border fence: the Guardia Civil chief kept it open to avoid deaths, while the police inspector argued it should be closed.

The inspector closed it briefly, but the Guardia Civil chief reopened it as people crowded at the border and others entered the water.

The judge is investigating the mass entry, which took place amid a broader crisis in Ceuta.