Frontex: Irregular Border Crossings Exceed 355,300 This Year, Setting Record Since 2016

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Irregular border crossings have increased by 17 percent, totaling over 355,300 in the first 11 months of 2023.
• The Western African route has seen a significant increase, reaching over 32,400, the highest recorded since data collection began in 2009.
• In November alone, arrivals rose by over 500 per cent compared to the same month in the previous year, reaching nearly 4,700.

Data provided by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex revealed that in the first 11 months of 2023, there had been an increase in irregular border crossings, witnessing a 17 per cent surge, bringing the total to over 355,300.

According to the same source, this figure has already exceeded the entire count for 2022, representing the highest recorded value since 2016.

The Western African route has experienced the most significant surge in irregular crossings, witnessing a twofold increase this year to surpass 32,400. This unprecedented rise marks the highest recorded since Frontex commenced data collection in 2009.

At the same time, the number of arrivals in November rose by over 500 per cent compared to the same month last year, reaching nearly 4,700.

Frontex remains dedicated to safeguarding the EU’s borders and has nearly 2,600 officers and staff actively involved in various operations. In a recent demonstration of this commitment, the agency deployed an additional 50 officers to assist Finland in managing the unusually high number of arrivals at its Eastern Border with Russia.

Data further reveal a 25 per cent decline in irregular border crossings in November compared to the previous year, totalling over 20,000.

The Western African route recorded unprecedented numbers, while the Central Mediterranean route remained the most frequent in 2023, displaying a recent downward trend compared to earlier in the year.

The top three nationalities observed on all routes throughout the year were Syria, Guinea, and Afghanistan.

This year, the Central Mediterranean maintained its status as the most crossed migratory route, reporting over 152,200 detections in the first 11 months—marking the highest total since 2016. However, the monthly detections on this route experienced a 24 per cent month-on-month decrease in November, totalling nearly 7,900.

The Eastern Mediterranean route remained active, displaying a nearly 50 per cent increase from the previous year in the first 11 months, reaching almost 52,600 detections.

Moreover, Data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) highlights that 2,511 individuals have been reported missing in the Mediterranean this year, with the majority facing dangers on the Central Mediterranean route.

Throughout January-November, the Western Balkan route witnessed the most significant annual drop among major migratory routes, with irregular crossings decreasing by 28 per cent to 98,600.

On the Channel route, about 58,300 irregular border crossings were detected on both sides in 2023, reflecting a 14 per cent decrease compared to the same period in 2022.