Number of migrants reaching EU borders hits record monthly high of 107,500 in July

Dingy carrying migrants towed by lifeboats near island of Kos in Greece Credit: Reuters

A record number of migrants reached EU borders in July, with figures surpassing more than 100,000.

It was the third consecutive monthly record but the figure of 107,500 is well above the previous high of 70,000 in June and triple the figure recorded in July last year.

The figures released by Frontex, also show the number of detections between January and July reached nearly 340,000, compared to 123,500 in the same period last year and 280,000 in all of 2014.

In July, nearly 50,000 migrants were reported in the Aegean Sea, mainly on the Greek islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos and Kos.

While Italy detected more than 20,000 migrants last month, bringing the total number to 90,000 so far in 2015.

Nine out of every ten migrants taking the perilous journey from Libya to Italy come from Africa, mainly Eritrea and Nigeria.

In the Western Balkans, the Hungarian authorities reported more than 34,800 detections.

How many migrants entered EU countries in July:

  • Greece - 49,550

  • Italy - More than 20,000

  • Western Balkans - More than 34,800

The EU border agency called on all EU members states to offer more help to countries creaking under the ever-growing number of migrant arrivals.

Border control authorities in Italy and Greece are facing unprecedented pressure from arrivals by boat, while Hungary is also struggling to cope with an influx of migrants travelling over its southern border with Serbia, Frontex said.