EU migrant crossings jump 70% to highest since 2016

ISTANBUL

More than 228,000 irregular migrants crossed the EU’s external borders in the first nine months of the year, the highest since 2016, the bloc’s border agency said on Thursday.

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) said nearly 228,240 irregular entries were detected between January and September, marking a 70% increase from the same period of last year.

In September alone, 33,380 people tried to enter the EU, 25% higher than the same month in 2021.

The Western Balkan route has been the most active in the year’s first nine months, with entries surging by 170% to just shy of 106,400.

It is followed by the Central Mediterranean route into Italy, where over 65,500 entries were detected – a 42% jump from the January-September 2021 period.

Nearly 28,900 migrants attempted to reach the EU via the Eastern Mediterranean route, an increase of 118%.

Over 52,700 migrants tried to cross the English Channel to enter the UK, a number higher than 2021’s total figure of around 52,000, according to the Frontex data.