There is a decline in the rest
Migration data released in January show a broad drop in irregular crossings along most routes into the European Union. The only notable exception was the Atlantic pathway, which links Africa with the Canary Islands. Preliminary figures from Frontex, the EU’s border and coast guard agency headquartered in Warsaw, indicate that total irregular arrivals across the union fell by about one third in January 2024 compared with December, totaling around 14,000 people. Arrivals to the Canary Islands, however, rose sharply by 48 percent, reaching 6,643 people and representing nearly a twofold increase from December and roughly ten times the level seen a year earlier.
This Atlantic corridor stands out as the route with the strongest increase in irregular crossings. Frontex attributes this uptick to rising demand among sub-Saharan migrants seeking to reach European soil via the islands. In response, both the European Commission and the Spanish government have pursued strengthened cooperation with the aim of curbing departures by sea. Officials announced an important funding package, including a commitment of 500 million in development aid intended to address root causes and support safer, more orderly legal migration pathways.
Frontex has repeatedly warned that traffickers are adapting their tactics, sometimes packing large numbers of migrants into small wooden boats known as cayucos, which heighten the risk for those on board. The agency also noted that its staff presence on the Canary Islands and in Spain has grown, with 170 Frontex personnel on the ground and a broader deployment totaling 2,370 agents across various ongoing operations in the region.
There is a decline in the rest
Across most other routes, January brought marked declines. The Central Mediterranean record shows a drop of about 71 percent, with 1,533 arrivals, primarily from Tunisia, Bangladesh, and Syria. Spain also saw a reduction in arrivals by sea through other routes in the region, while the Western Mediterranean corridor experienced a notable enforcement outcome that led to 624 detentions in January. The East Mediterranean route, spanning Türkiye and Greece, recorded a 41 percent decrease, with 3,995 individuals intercepted. Meanwhile, the Western Balkan route, along with crossings at the border areas in Belarus, and the Baltic states, posted declines of around 30 percent and 2 percent respectively, with 740 and 269 people intercepted. The English Channel likewise saw a drop, with 3,168 people attempting to enter the United Kingdom detained in January, a 4 percent decrease from December.