The number of detected irregular crossings at the European Union’s external borders have decreased by 42% in 2024 compared to the same period last year, announced the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, on Tuesday.
The most significant decreases were observed on the Western Balkan route (-79%) and the Central Mediterranean route (-64%).
However, irregular crossings from West Africa doubled (+100%) and nearly tripled along the EU’s 6,000-kilometre eastern land border (+192%), according to a Frontex report.
Frontex, based in Warsaw, clarified that the data reflect the number of detected crossings, meaning one person might cross the EU’s external border multiple times and at different locations.
Most migrant or refugee crossings detected by Frontex occurred in the Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel towards Britain.
From January to September, there were 47,710 irregular crossings recorded in the Central Mediterranean, mainly via Italy, 45,610 (+15%) in the Eastern Mediterranean via Turkey or Greece, and 11,483 (-1%) in the Western Mediterranean heading towards Spain.
In the English Channel, the number of detected crossings reached 47,514 between January and September (+2% compared to the first nine months of last year). Irregular crossings from West Africa reached 30,616.
On the Western Balkan route, through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, or Croatia, Frontex recorded 16,698 irregular crossings.
On the EU’s eastern land borders encompassing 6,000 kilometres between the EU and Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, Norway, and Russia, the number of detected irregular crossings was 13,195 during the period.
The three main countries of origin for irregular migrants at European borders are Syria, Mali, and Ukraine.
