Frontex: EU Records Highest Number of Illegal Migrants in 8 Months Since 2016

WARSAW, (Sputnik) - The number of illegal migrants arriving in the EU from January-August 2022, is the highest ever recorded over the eight-month period since 2016, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, said on Friday.

"In the first eight months of this year, nearly 188,200 irregular entries were detected at the external borders of the European Union, according to preliminary calculations. This represents an increase of 75% compared with the same period of last year and is the highest total for the January-August period since 2016," the press release, published on the website of Frontex, read.

In August alone, the EU countries detected about 32,800 irregular crossings, which is 35% more than in August 2021.

Among the most active routes for illegal migrants Frontex mentioned the Western Balkan and Central Mediterranean routes, with 15,900 and 11,400 detections recorded in August 2022, respectively.

Irregular crossings through the Western Balkan route in August showed an increase of 141%, compared with August 2021. This route has actively been used by people immigrating from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey.

The agency also noted that there has been a relatively high number of people, illegally seeking to cross the English Channel toward the UK. More than 40,000 people tried to illegally arrive to the UK in January-August, which is an increase of 80% compared with the same period in 2021. According to Frontex, the reasons for a rising tendency in August are good weather conditions and possible impact of the new UK migration plan, which has simplified immigration rules.

Due to increasing pressure on EU external borders, Frontex has deployed more than 2,300 standing corps officers and staff at the borders.