EU border agency: ‘Illegal border crossings’ on the riseValeria Mongelli FILE - A migrant who was aboard a precarious rubber boat with others jumps to the water as they are rescued by a team of the Sea Watch-3, around 35 miles away from Libya, in Libyan SAR zone, Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. Frontex said in a statement that 160,000 “illegal border crossings” were recorded in the first 10 months of this year, up 70% compared to the same period in 2020 and 45% more than in 2019. The biggest rise was at the EU’s eastern borders, in the Balkans region and via central Mediterranean Sea crossings. Arrivals via the central Mediterranean also rose, reaching 6,240 in October, 186% more than in 2019. The agency said that 16,390 “illegal border crossings” were reported on the western Mediterranean route, often into Spain from northern Africa, but the numbers were 23% less than in 2019.

Source: Libya Today November 23, 2021 12:29 UTC