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Frontex: Decline in illegal crossings, but increase in victims in the Mediterranean
2026-04-17 19:07:53 / BOTA
The number of irregular migrant crossings at the European Union's borders has fallen by nearly 40% during the first quarter of 2026, compared to the same period a year earlier, Frontex announced today.
According to the European Border Agency, bad weather conditions on the main migration routes to the EU are among the main factors that have influenced this significant decline.
During the first three months of the year, just over 21,400 crossings were recorded, a 39% decrease year-on-year.
However, despite the decrease in the number of crossings, the "human cost" continues to increase.
Citing data from the International Organization for Migration, Frontex points out that around 1,000 people have lost their lives in the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year, many of them due to difficult weather conditions.
The Eastern Mediterranean remains the most frequented route, accounting for around a third of all illegal entries into the EU.
Meanwhile, the West African route has seen the biggest decline, with a decrease of 83%.
Europe's eastern land borders have recorded a 58% decrease, while the western Mediterranean route is the only one to have recorded an increase, with 66%.
Attempts to cross the English Channel to the UK have fallen by 41%, to around 6,600. Frontex warns that the situation in the Middle East could cause new population movements in the coming months, although no major impact has been observed at EU borders so far.
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