Due to a technical
problem, we must restate the figures for Eastern Mediterranean. Because of
additional incidents reported, the figures for the Central Mediterranean have also
been updated.
These changes also
affected to the total number of detections in May.
In May, the number
of detections of illegal border crossings on Europe’s main migratory routes
rebounded from the previous month’s record lows to
nearly 3 500*.
The total number of
illegal border crossings for the first five months of 2020 reached 30 800, 9%
below the figure from the same period of last year.
Eastern
Mediterranean
There were some 100**
detections of illegal border crossings on the Eastern Mediterranean route in
May. Because of delayed reporting the figure is likely to rise, but will remain
among the lowest on record.
In the January-May
period, more than 11 500 illegal border crossings were detected on this route,
or 34% fewer than a year ago.
Afghans
remained the top nationality detected on this route so far this
year.
Central Mediterranean
The number of
irregular migrants crossing the Central Mediterranean in May rose 75% from the previous month to around 1 300. The
total for the first five months surpassed 5 700, nearly three times more than
in the same period of 2019.
The top three
nationalities detected on this route Bangladeshi, Sudanese and Ivoirian.
Western Mediterranean
Sea
The number of migrants arriving in Europe via the Western
Mediterranean Sea route in May nearly quadrupled from April to more than 650.
In the first five months, the total stood at above 3 700, or less than half the
year-ago figure.
Nearly half of the migrants detected on this route this year
were Algerians.
Western Balkans
There were more than 900 illegal border crossings recorded
on this route in May, 10 times the number detected the previous month. In the
first five months of 2020, the total increased by 50% from the same period of
last year to more than 6 900.
*The figure includes other less active migratory routes not
mentioned in this press release. The final figures may differ due to delayed
reporting.
**May 2020 data does not include the number of detections in
Cyprus.
Note: The preliminary data presented in this statement refer
to the number of detections of irregular border-crossing at the external
borders of the European Union. The same person may attempt to cross the border
several times in different locations at the external border.
