Between January and August, the number of irregular immigrants detected rose to 232,350, also a new high since 2016, and 18% more than in the same period in 2022.
Irregular crossings of the external borders of the European Union (EU) increased by 39% year-on-year in August to 56,900, a new high since February 2016, according to data published this Thursday by Frontex.
Between January and August, the number of irregular immigrants detected rose to 232,350, also a new high since 2016, and 18% more than in the same period in 2022.
According to data published by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, the central Mediterranean route (by sea, to Italy) represented almost half of the EU total: 11,265 in the first eight months of the year (96% more) and 25,142 in August alonebeing used mainly by nationals of the Ivory Coast, Egypt and the Republic of Guinea.
The Western Balkan route was used by 21,768 people in August (70,548 between January and August, a year-on-year decrease of 19%), mostly Syrians, Afghans and Turks.
The Eastern Mediterranean route (Greece, in particular) is the third most used routewith 24,094 steps in eight months (-14%) and 6,210 in August, used by Syrians, Afghans and Palestinians.
9,447 immigrants passed through the Western Mediterranean (towards Spain, by sea) between January and August (plus 14%) and 2022 only in this last month, coming from Morocco, Algeria and Syria.
Frontex, citing figures from the International Organization for Migration, reiterates the danger of sea crossings where, this year alone, at least 2,325 people have died, the vast majority of them in the central Mediterranean.
Source: Observadora
