Illegal migrant cross: What is the route that is becoming more difficult for Europe?
The Frontex, the European Union Agency (EU) for the protection of external borders, reported a 31% drop in illegal migrants crosses in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
The crosses fell to almost 33 600, and a decrease in all routes that lead to Europe was recorded.
The largest fall, 64%, was observed along the Western Balkan route.
Why are crosses decreasing along the Western Balkan route?
“The fall of the crosses may be due to several factors: the increase in border surveillance by the Balkan countries, the rigorous winter conditions that hinder the trip and awareness of the generalized risks of human rights violations,” says Helena Hahn, a migration and diversity analyst of the European Policy Center.
Hahn also pointed out geopolitical factors such as “the change of regime in Syria, which led to a 17% decrease in asylum applications by 2024,” and added that arrivals can increase “at the end of summer and autumn.”
Attempts to cross Africa to Spain decrease almost a third
The Western Africa Route, which connects Senegal, Mauritania, Gambia and West Sarah with the Canary Islands, also recorded a significant decrease (30%).
Similarly, there was a 29% drop in the crosses along the Eastern Mediterranean route, which mainly leads to Cyprus, Greece and Bulgaria from Afghanistan, Sudan and Egypt.
The third most marked fall (26%) was found on the Central Mediterranean route from West and Central Africa through Niger and Libya, crossing the Mediterranean to Europe, especially Italy.
Eastern Mediterranean: the most crowded route of illegal migration to Europe
With 9,267 attempts to cross, the Eastern Mediterranean route was the favorite extrapapyy route of illegal migrants.
The Western Africa Route below, with 9,205 attempts, especially from Mali, Senegal and Guinea.
The third most active route was the Central Mediterranean (8,542), especially used by migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Syria.
However, the United Kingdom seems to continue the final destination in Europe for thousands of migrants, since the Frontex registered 11,000 illegal crossings in the first four months of 2025 from France to the other side of the spot channel.
Video editor Mert can Yilmaz
