EU Irregular Border Crossings Down 40% in Q1 2026

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:41:13 +0000
Immigration

Frontex preliminary data shows 21,400 irregular border crossings in Q1 2026, a 39% decline from the same period in 2025. The Eastern Mediterranean was the busiest route with 6,500 detections (down 34%), while the Western Mediterranean was the only major route to increase (up 66% to 4,400). Attempts via the Channel fell 41% to 6,600, and the Western African route saw the steepest decline at 83%. The report notes that nearly 1,000 people have died in the Mediterranean this year despite overall lower crossing numbers.