BRUSSELS, 11th September, 2026 (WAM) -- The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) has announced that detections of irregular crossings at the European Union's external borders fell by 35 percent during the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
According to preliminary data compiled by Frontex, around 75,000 irregular border crossings were detected between January and August. The agency said the decline reflected continued cooperation with partner countries and preventive measures in key countries of departure, which helped reduce the number of boats heading towards Europe.
Hans Leijtens, Executive Director of Frontex, said the number of people attempting to reach Europe had declined across most routes, with the trend continuing throughout the summer.
The Eastern Mediterranean and Central Mediterranean remained the busiest routes, together accounting for around 60 percent of all irregular border crossings into the EU.
The Western African route recorded the largest decline, falling by nearly 60 percent compared with last year, while the Western Mediterranean was the only major route to register an increase, rising by 34 percent.
Despite the decline in arrivals, Frontex noted that migration across the Mediterranean continued to result in loss of life. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 1,800 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year.