Irregular arrivals in EU down 22 percent – Frontex

During the first nine months of 2025, irregular entries of migrants in the European Union decreased by 22 percent, reaching the figure of 133,400, according to preliminary figures shared on October 10 by Frontex.

In the Central Mediterranean, nearly 50,900 arrivals were registered between January and September, a figure that is substantially aligned with the same period last year.

However, Libya, the main point of departure, registered an increase of 50 percent in departures compared to 2024.

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Top nationalities: Bangladesh, Egypt, Afghanistan

The most frequent nationalities migrating are citizens from Bangladesh, Egypt, and Afghanistan. Frontex also published the figures related to other routes of entry.

The number of irregular crossings registered in the Eastern Mediterranean, for example, diminished by 22 percent, approximately 37,200 persons.

Following a decrease in arrivals in August, caused by adverse weather conditions, the crossings through the Libya-Crete corridor registered a new increase in September, with a 280 percent increase compared to last year.

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More departures on Western Mediterranean route from Algeria

On the Western Mediterranean route, the number of irregular crossings increased by 28 percent. In September alone, the number of arrivals increased by more than half, with departures from Algeria representing nearly three-fourths of the arrivals registered this year.

The additional controls by Moroccan authorities have pushed a higher number of persons to use human smuggling services in Algeria. This led to close cooperation between the Algerian and Moroccan smuggling networks and to the movement of some operations to Algerian territory. These groups use complex tactics, such as the transportation of migrants on powerful motor boats.

The Western African route to the Canary Islands registered the strongest decrease, diminishing by 58 percent and registering nearly 12,900 crossings, of which only 734 were in September.

Despite the overall decrease, the cost in terms of human lives remains devastating.

According to estimates of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), this year, a total of 1,299 persons died attempting to cross the Mediterranean.

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