Spain is deploying additional troops and police to its North African enclave of Ceuta after thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco by swimming, wading, and scaling border fences in a matter of hours.

Authorities described the situation as chaotic, with border security overwhelmed and reports indicating that between 2,000 and 3,000 people entered the territory while at least nine bodies were recovered.

Local officials called for a national emergency, but Spain’s government instead announced military and police reinforcements while rejecting emergency status for a migration crisis.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged an immediate response and said Spain is working with Moroccan and international authorities to restore order, The Guardian has reported.

The surge follows a recent court ruling limiting migrant returns and echoes a similar border crisis in 2021 that strained relations between Spain and Morocco.