EU Frontiers: Steep Rise in Irregular Crossings

Tunisians, Syrians and Afghans constitute almost half of the 330,000 so-called irregular crossings on the European Union's external frontiers in 2022 - a steep rise of 64% from the previous year according to Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. That figure doesn't include millions of Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war in Eastern Europe with the Agency saying that there were high numbers from Nigeria, Egypt and Bangladesh as well. From London, VOA's Henry Ridgwell reports that the western Balkan and central Mediterranean routes to Italy accounted for most of the irregular arrivals.