Immigration: Illegal Border Crossings on EU’s Main Migratory Routes Increased by 14% in September

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The number of illegal border crossings detected at the main migratory routes to the European Union countries has increased by 14% in September, compared to the previous month this year. According to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) over 17,200 persons were detected crossing the borders illegally, which increase was mainly driven up due to higher arrivals on the Greek islands in the eastern Aegean.

Yet, according to a press release of FRONTEX, the number of illegal arrivals in recent months remains lower than during the first months of this year.

“Despite the growing numbers in recent months, the total on all European migratory routes for the first three quarters of 2019 was 19% lower at around 88,200,” the press release reads.

The Eastern Mediterranean remains the first choice for many of those attempting to reach one of the European Union Member States, with two out of every three irregular migrants detected at the EU external borders taking this route in September.

“In the first nine months of this year, the total number of detections in this region rose 22% from a year ago to close to 50 600,” FRONTEX reveals, adding that over 11,500 irregular migrants were caught on this route on the same month, 16% more than in August.

While illegal border crossings on the Western and Central Mediterranean routes remain lower, an increase of 12% was marked through the first and a higher increase of 16% was noted on the second.

In September, 2,400 irregular migrants were registered at the Western Mediterranean route and another 2,280 at the Central Mediterranean. Another 450 illegal border crossings were recorded at the Western Balkans route. The total number for the latter, for the whole nine months of this year so far, is over 7,300, 80% above the figure from a year ago.

In terms of highest numbers registered by nationality in the first three quarters of 2019, while citizens of Afghanistan have accounted for nearly two of every five migrants detected on the Eastern Mediterranean route, sub-Saharan Africans accounted for the largest number of detected migrants on the Western Mediterranean.

The main national groups illegally crossing European borders at the Central Mediterranean were Tunisians and Sudanese, while Afghans also accounted for more than half of the migrants detected on the Western Balkans route.

 

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