The year 2023 registered the highest number of irregular migrant arrivals to the European Union since 2016, according to the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders (Frontex).
During the first eleven months of 2023, the EU registered a total of 355,300 irregular migrants, the highest figure since 2016.
Frontex said the number of migrants to arrive over the last 11 months has already surpassed the total figure for 2022.
The Central Mediterranean remains the busiest route
The Central Mediterranean remains the most traveled route, with over 152,000 crossings already this year.
Between January and November, the Western African route registered the highest increase for irregular crossings, which doubled to 32,400.
This increase is the highest since Frontex started collecting figures in 2009, the agency said. The number of arrivals in November on the route jumped over 500% compared to the same month in 2022, reaching nearly 4,700.
The Western Balkans register an annual decrease
The Eastern Mediterranean route also remained active, registering an increase of nearly 50% compared to the previous year.
During the January-November period, the Western Balkan route registered the highest annual decrease among the main routes, with the total number of irregular crossings down 28%, to 98,000.
"The maritime crossings continue to be riddled with dangers for the people that take on these journeys of irregular migration," highlighted Frontex, reporting the figures of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which states that this year 2,511 people went missing in the Mediterranean.
The majority were traveling along the Central route.