Irregular border crossings in Eastern Med down 35% in Jan-Feb, Frontex says
The number of irregular border crossings into the European Union in the Eastern Mediterranean, which includes Greece, dropped by 35% in the first two months of 2025, to nearly 6,500, according to preliminary data collected by 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, the EU border agency said.
Migrants from Afghanistan, Egypt and Sudan were the top nationalities crossing the route, the agency said.
Overall in the EU, irregular border crossings were down a quarter in first two months of 2025.
The Western Balkans route saw the biggest decline in crossings, down 64% on the same period last year.
The Central Mediterranean route witnessed the biggest increase in the first two months of the year, up 48% year-on-year to almost 6,900. This made it the second most active migratory route to the EU.
Despite a 40% 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.
Sea crossings continue to put migrants’ lives at great risk, with many relying on organized criminal networks to attempt the journey. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that 248 people died at sea in January and February. In all of last year, this figure reached 2,300, Frontex said.
Kathimerini
