Short summary: A viral video of a man swimming with a selfie stick has been falsely linked to the late-July migrant surge into Ceuta. Verification shows the footage was filmed in El Jadida, Morocco, and the video's creator says he has never been to Ceuta. Reverse-image searches and Google Street View confirm the location; AFP and other fact-checkers have flagged the viral claims as false.
Viral Selfie-Video Misattributed to Ceuta Migrant Crisis — Footage Shot in El Jadida, Morocco
Screenshot of the false post captured on August 5, 2026, with a red X added by AFP
A widely shared video showing a young man filming himself while swimming has been wrongly linked to the late-July migrant crossings into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta. Verification by fact-checkers shows the clip was recorded in the Moroccan Atlantic port city of El Jadida, and the creator of the video says he has never been to Ceuta.
Screenshot comparison of the false post (L) and the original Instagram post with red X added by AFP
Key Findings
- Location: The footage was shot in El Jadida, Morocco, not Ceuta.
- Origin: The same clip was posted to Instagram on 30 July 2026; the uploader has other videos from the same spot.
- Verification: Reverse image searches and Google Maps Street View match the concrete structure seen in the video.
- Claims: Several outlets and social posts incorrectly said the clip showed a migrant swimming to Ceuta; these have been flagged as false by fact-checkers.
What Was Shared
On 1 August 2026 an Instagram post attributed to NDTV (Hindi) captioned the clip: "A Moroccan migrant swam to Ceuta and entered Spain illegally, recording a video with a selfie stick." Arabic broadcaster Al Arabiya and Dominican Republic network Noticias Telemicro published the same footage with similar claims. Copies of the clip circulated widely across Instagram and Facebook and were shared in multiple languages, including French and Bengali.
Screenshot comparison of the false clip (L) and other video posted by the individual, with highlights added by AFP
How It Was Checked
Fact-checkers carried out a reverse-image search of key frames and found the original Instagram post from 30 July 2026. The video's creator published a follow-up video on 2 August stating in Arabic that he was in El Jadida and had never been to Ceuta. In his words:
Screenshot comparison of the Instagram video (L) and Google Maps Street View imagery, with highlights added by AFP
"I have never even been to Ceuta. I am in El Jadida. El Jadida, I have never actually left it my entire life."
Google Maps Street View imagery of El Jadida shows a concrete port structure that matches the background in the video, corroborating the uploader's account. AFP and other verification outlets have highlighted screenshot comparisons and additional videos from the same user to support this conclusion.
Context: The Ceuta Crossings
Separately, in late July 2026 tens of thousands — mostly Moroccan nationals — entered Ceuta, some on foot and others by swimming from nearby Fnideq. The rapid influx, which reached tens of thousands by 1 August, triggered a diplomatic dispute between Spain and EU partners. Spanish authorities reported more than 70 deaths among migrants attempting to cross the sea barrier; by 5 August roughly 70,000 of an estimated 72,000 entrants had returned to Morocco according to official figures.
Why This Matters
Misattributed video clips can shape public perceptions during sensitive events such as migration crises. This case demonstrates the importance of basic verification steps — reverse-image search, geolocation using Street View, and checking statements from the content creator — before drawing conclusions or resharing viral material.
Bottom line: The swimming selfie video is unrelated to the Ceuta migrant crossings; it was filmed in El Jadida and the uploader denies ever having been in Ceuta.
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