Around 23,000 irregular migrants made it to Italy in August, mostly by making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea, the European Union’s border agency revealed on Thursday.
Majority of the 117,900 migrants that arrived in Italy this year came by boat from Libya, the Frontex agency added, saying the numbers were similar to those in 2015.
Italy has become the main immigration route into Europe, replacing Greece that was the leading route in 2015.
Since Turkey agreed to prevent people from setting sail for Greece from its shores, the numbers taking that route have fallen dramatically. Frontex said some 3,430 people reached Greek islands from Turkey last month, only about three percent of the number in August, 2015.
The EU is working with African countries to step up returns and has said it will make aid conditional on keeping a lid on migration to Europe.
