The number of irregular border crossings into the European Union dropped by 25 percent in the first two months of 2025, to nearly 25,000, according to preliminary data released by EU border agency Frontex on March 13. While most routes saw a decrease in the number of arrivals, the Central Mediterranean route defied the trend, the agency noted.
The Central Mediterranean route recorded a 48 percent year-on-year increase, reaching almost 6,900 arrivals. It became the second most active migratory path to the EU, with Libya remaining the primary departure point. Smugglers increasingly use high-speed boats to evade authorities, with crossings costing between 5,000 and 8,000 euros per person, according to Frontex.
Bangladeshi nationals were the most common group on this route, often entering Libya legally for work before making the sea journey, Frontex reported.
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Atlantic route to Canary Islands remains busiest route
Despite a 40 percent decrease from last year, the Western African corridor remained the most active route for irregular migration, with 7,200 arrivals recorded in January-February. Most migrants came from Mali, Senegal, and Guinea, the border agency explained.
Eastern Mediterranean and Balkan routes decline
By the end of February, the Eastern Mediterranean ranked as the third busiest migration corridor into the EU, with nearly 6,500 arrivals, the data showed.
However, detections on this route were down 35 percent from a year ago, according to Frontex.
After peaking at around 6,700 detections in October, the pressure on this route has steadily eased amid winter weather, with numbers dropping to 2,750 in February, it reported.
Sea crossings continue to put migrants' lives at great risk, with many relying on organized criminal networks to attempt the journey, the agency highlighted. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that 248 people died at sea in January and February, Frontex recalled.
In all of last year, this figure reached 2,300, it said, underscoring the tragic human cost of these hazardous routes.
On the Channel route, the number of migrants attempting to cross into the United Kingdom dropped by 28 percent compared to last year, with detections slightly above 4,400.
The Balkan route experienced the steepest drop, down 64 percent year-on-year, according to Frontex's estimates.
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