A young Moroccan sneaks under the Valladolid club bus to reach Spain

A young Moroccan man hid under the bottom of a Spanish football club Valladolid bus for several hours to reach mainland Europe via ferry from the North African enclave of Ceuta, according to media reports.

The Spanish Radio and Television Corporation reported Monday (September 21, 2026) that the 17-year-old hid in the area of ​​the rear axle right next to the wheels, enduring not only the 45-minute ferry trip to Algeciras but also more than 100 kilometers on a highway.

When his strength began to fade, he began pounding on the floor of the moving bus and screaming for help. The players on the bus heard the noise and asked the driver to stop immediately. Under the bus, they discovered the hidden traveler, exhausted and suffering from severe hypothermia.

The incident highlights the risks that non-adult teenagers may be exposed to or take in order to escape the specter of being returned to Morocco.

About 72,000 migrants arrived in Ceuta on July 30 and 31. Most left the enclave within hours, but several thousand, including many minors, have remained there since then under difficult conditions, hoping to work in Spain and support their families back home.

Spanish position

Unaccompanied minors can only be returned under very strict conditions. The Spanish Minister of Youth and Children, Serra Rigo, announced on Monday (September 21, 2026), in a radio interview: “Most minors want to stay in Spain, and they will stay because the law protects them,” according to the European news site Euro News.

The desire of each minor is not the deciding factor in the decision, but it must be taken into consideration. The decision is supposed to take into account the child's best interests. Until a decision is issued in each case, minors remain under the Spanish child protection system.

Spain and Morocco have signed a bilateral agreement on unaccompanied minors, which stipulates their return. However, the decision to return requires studying each case and evaluating his family situation. Spanish law and international child protection obligations prohibit all minors arriving in Ceuta from being treated as a single group who can be returned all at once.

The Spanish government estimates that between 500 and 700 unaccompanied minors are still living on the streets of Ceuta. However, estimates by local organizations indicate much higher numbers. More than 2,000 minors have already registered.

Morocco's position

Rabat announced its readiness to receive Moroccan minors in Ceuta. However, the Spanish government believes that the problem lies in translating this readiness into practical steps. The governor of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, urged Morocco to translate its declared willingness into administrative cooperation.

The Spanish Minister of Youth and Children, Serra Rego, said on Monday that Spain “rarely” receives “quick” responses from Morocco, and that this lack of cooperation hinders efforts to reunite children.

According to the Spanish Ministry of Youth and Children, the Moroccan authorities are still ignoring about 600 files related to minors who were present in Ceuta before the storming of the border in July.

European Union position

The European Commission is committed to two principles that may seem contradictory: migrants who have no right to remain on European territory must be returned, while minors enjoy special protection guarantees.

The Commission stresses that Spain is obligated to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable minors, and that all returns must be carried out in accordance with European and international law, according to the European news website Euro News.

If it is not possible to reunite the minor with their families in Morocco, the minor remains under Spanish protection. However, this does not necessarily mean that he will remain in Ceuta, and the authorities may even transfer him to the mainland, despite opposition from conservative and far-right regional governments.