Arrivals in Central Med drop 71% in January over December

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 12 - In January 1,533 migrants and refugees arrived irregularly in the EU via the central Mediterranean route leading from north Africa to Italy, the EU border agency Frontex said on Monday.
    This represented a 71% drop compared to December 2023.
    The main countries of origin of new arrivals on the Central Mediterranean route in January were Tunisia, Bangladesh and Syria, added Frontex.
    Overall in January, irregular border crossings into the EU fell to a total of 14,000, down about one-third from December and roughly in line with the total in January 2023.
    The only migration route to buck the downward trend was the one leading from West Africa to the Canary Islands, which saw 6,643 irregular arrivals in January, up 48% over the previous month and ten times the figure reported in January 2023. (ANSA).