In November, the number of migrants arriving in Italy fell by half from the previous month to 13 740. But the figure was still more than four times the total recorded in the same month of last year despite deteriorating conditions at sea. In the first 11 months of the year, more than 173 000 migrants were detected on the Central Mediterranean route, nearly a fifth more than in the same period of 2015.
Even as the weather worsened near the Libyan coast, people smugglers continued to force large numbers of migrants onto unseaworthy boats, putting them in grave danger.
Nationals of Nigeria and Guinea accounted for the largest number of the rescued migrants last month.
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
The number of migrants arriving on the Greek islands in the Eastern Aegean continued to amount to just a fraction of the figures from a year ago. Some 1 950 people were detected in November, down 42% from October. This brought the figure for the first 11 months of this year to nearly 173 200, although most of the arrivals took place between January and March.
The three main nationalities on this route in November were Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis.
WESTERN BALKANS
The number of detections of illegal border-crossings in the Western Balkans last month stood at nearly 1 130, less than 1% of the figure from the same month a year ago. Nationals from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria accounted for a large majority of the migrants on this route.
Note:
The data presented in this statement refer to the number of detections of illegal border-crossing at the external borders of the European Union. The same person may attempt to cross the border illegally several times in different locations at the external border.